Good Carb? Bad Carb?

Hello there,

 Just wondering if anyone has any info on what defines a good or bad carb? Any examples? Any...tasty...examples of a good carb?!!!

There's got to be an answer...I REFUSE TO BUY NUTRISYSTEM.

Generally, a "good" carb is one that takes longer to digest, consequently making you feel fuller for a longer period of time, and preventing that "sugar high" that only lasts for a bit and leaves you burnt out, craving more sugar.

Good carbs have not been refined, like white flour has, they contain more of the whole-grain, and therefore contain more vitamins and nutrients that their "bad carb" counterparts.

Some examples of "good carbs" include whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta, vegetables, fruits, etc.

Some examples of bad cars are donuts, regular pasta, white bread, white flour, white sugar, etc

Thanks a bunch!...Now I see... Does anyone have any good carbs that they eat that aren't ovious like whole wheat pasta and bread? Is there anything that I'm missig out on?!!!

I love love love rye bread! Is this a good carb?

I assume so, but I'm not sure. Also, I think I eat too much, should I try and lay off this type of carbs. (bread) and try and eat fruit carbs??

I don't know much about carbs, and frankly, i don't wanna know much.  Haha, it's my opinion that when it gets too damn complicated and im counting carbs and protein and sodium and everything else, then thats when this gets tedious and i quit.  All i worry about is my calorie limit, nothing else.  Some days i eat more fat, some days i eat more carbs.  in either case, i dont worry about it.

But yes, if the choice comes down to a slice of bread or some fruit...go with the fruit.  don't deprive yourself of the bread though, deprivation just makes you frustrated and more likely to give up.

You should check out low carb websites for recipes....atkins.com is a great one.

I love to eat low carb wraps with cream cheese, low fat turkey, cucumbers, onions, and spinach for lunch. It is delicious!!!!

Also, you can make a very good enchilada dish with low carb tortillas. Just follow the recipe on the back of the enchilada sauce can minus anything high in carbs (i.e. corn). It is very good.

I have been going through a veggie kick with this sweet hot mustard I bought. It is really good. Cauliflower is definitely a good filler.

You could make a chicken soup with cabbage cut up in thin slices making them seem like you are eating noodles. Add onions, garlic, 1-2 chicken breast bouillon cubes, chicken breast cut into cubes, nappa cabbage, salt and pepper to taste, green and yellow zucchini. It is very good. I have also been adding an egg to my soups instead of the cabbage every once in a while by scrambling it first and then slowly adding it to the soup and stirring the soup at the same time while it is boiling (similar to egg drop soup).

 

Well I really have started to like different grains that I hadn't tried before... barley, quinoa, things like that.

And if you're looking for snacks, popcorn is naturally whole grain? Just watch out for the fatty, oversalted microwave kind.

high fiber cereal like kashi golean is probably a "good carb"

I always thought glycemic index was a good indicator of a good carb and a bad carb.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

The better carbohydrates are the ones with a lower glycaemic index and they are usually the ones that are unrefined and unprocessed.  They fall into a lot of categories and should form the bulk of your diet

- Fresh fruit and vegetables.... includes starchy, fibrous vegetables such as parsnips, squashes, sweet potatoes  and new potatoes.  

- Wholegrain foods..... foods made with wholemeal/wholegrain flour such as granary/wholemeal/multigrain breads, pastas, some crispbreads, some cakes, high-fibre breakfast cereals.  Plus quinoa, brown rice, barley, coarse oatmeal/rolled oats and other whole grains.

- Wholefoods.... pulses (legumes if you prefer) such as lentils, beans, chickpeas, nuts, seeds

The carbohydrates that should form a much smaller part of your diet are...

- Fruit juices .... without the fibre they're just sugary water

- Foods made with refined flour... white breads (rolls, pizza, bagels, etc), cakes, doughnuts, biscuits.

- Other refined/processed starches and sugars.... White rice, 'instant' oatmeal, sugary breakfast cereals, french fries, sweets, extruded potato snacks, corn chips, some  cereal bars, most special 'diet' foods.  Any food with more than 10g sugar per 100g.