What are good carbs and bad carbs?
Asked by 032273girl on Sep 29, 2009
in Nutrition
I have tried to lose weight most of my life. I only want to lose 15 pounds but its very difficult. I have an old injury in my right knee that doesn’t allow me to run so I just started using the treadmill everyday for 30 minutes. My caloric intake is 1500 a day. I do love carbs!
Answer
Carbohydrates are in plant foods: grains, fruit, vegetables, and legumes. "Good carbs" refer to foods that have been minimally processed, if at all. They retain all of their fiber and inherent nutrients. "Bad carbs" come from highly processed plant-based foods that are either all sugar, like soda, overly processed, like white bread and pastries, or occur with other unhealthy ingredients, like the saturated and trans fats found in cookies and donuts. Bad carbs do not provide the vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and fiber that your body needs. On a 1500 diet, aim for 187 grams of carbohydrate, 75 grams of protein, 53 grams of fat, and 25 grams of fiber a day.
