Carbs Are Not Evil!

Posted by John McEwen

June 29, 2008

I’m sure you must have heard people saying,

“If you want to lose weight, cut off those carbs! Carbs are bad and they turn the calories into fats if they are not burned.”

Sometimes when we talk about carbs, it can be rather confusing because a lot of people have the wrong understanding about carbs and what they REALLY are.

I’m going to make things simple. There are generally 4 types of carbs.

Good carbs, bad carbs, high fiber carbs and simple sugar carbs.

Good carbohydrates are well, good. But, too much of good carbohydrates are bad. And bad carbohydrates are, you guess it.

Now, this is the point that most people missed out. Not all carbohydrates are bad!

If not all carbohydrates are bad, which kind of carbohydrates do I need?

Our body rely on carbohydrates as the main source of fuel for all it’s functions, processes, breathing, thinking and any activities you do. Did you know that your brain consumes more than 20% of the body’s energy when it’s size is less than 2% of your body? Why? Go think about it.

Let me start with the bad carbohydrates?

Bad carbohydrates are refined carbohydrates. You can find refined carbohydrates in white breads, chips and white rice. All these go under refining process which strips them of the necessary nutrients your body needs. And if you eat too much refined carbohydrates, it will cause your body sends out more insulin, and when there is excess insulin in the blood stream, your body will respond by turning the sugar into fat.

And that’s where your body fat storage increases!

So if I shouldn’t eat bad carbohydrates, what about good carbohydrates then?

Good carbohydrates are starchy or complex carbohydrates. They are slow to digest and are very high in nutrients, and add glucose stores for your energy-demanding activities. You can find good carbohydrates in oatmeal, sprouted whole-grain breads, pastas, potatoes, yams, brown rice, carrots, corn, beans, peas, and lentils.

Then, there are high fiber carbohydrates. They are another type of good carbohydrates, but higher in fiber concentration. They provide your body with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals. You usually can find high fiber carbohydrates in all kinds of colored vegetables like spinach, broccoli, eggplant, tomatoes, cabbage and spaghetti squash.

Another type of carbohydrates are the simple sugar carbohydrates. Your body will easily break them down, and they are great for quick bursts of energy or to quickly bring your blood sugar back up after a workout. Simple sugar carbohydrates are the fastest way to burn your body but you should only take them when you’re working out. You can find them in chocolates, muffins and power bars.

So, how much of each type of carbohydrates do you really need?

Well, it really depends on your physical condition, fitness, daily activities and eating habits. You can quickly analyze for yourself today how much carbohydrates you’ll need through this proven scientific research guide.