I think most of us have heard the terms ‘good carbs’ and ‘bad carbs’ before, but do we actually know what they mean. To make it as simple as possible, ‘Good Carbs’ come from foods that also have a good source of fiber. For example, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, etc. ‘Bad Carbs’ come from foods with little to no fiber content, such as white bread, white rice, etc. Fiber allows the body to slowly digest the carbs that we consume which leads to more stable blood sugar. If we eat food high in carbs and low in fiber, we quickly digest the carbs which then causes spikes in our blood pressure.
One other major thing to understand about good carbs and bad carbs is the composition of the carbs themselves. When carbs are digested, they are broken down into glucose (sugar) which the body needs for energy. During digestion, the body will break down any carb it is given into glucose; however, because of the fiber and other nutritional value with good carbs, the body is taking in more than just glucose. With bad carbs, the body is only quickly converting the carbs to glucose with no other vitamins or minerals to digest; therefore the calories being consumed can be considered ’empty’ calories and not beneficial.
The moral of the story is:
1. Stay away from foods high in carbs, but low in fiber.
2. It is healthy to eat ‘good carbs’ (aka. foods with vitamins, minerals, and fiber)
I hope this article helped. If you have any comments, questions, concerns, or ideas for other blog post, email me at corestrengthalec@gmail.com .
Although they are considered “empty” calories, “bad” carbs are not always bad. There are two times a day when consuming high-glycemic carbohydrates is acceptable; immediately upon waking up in the morning, and after a workout. High-glycemic carbohydrates are digested rapidly, which allows for the glucose to get into your bloodstream very quickly. This provides a much higher insulin spike at a very rapid pace. When you wake up your body is in a fasted state, and needs the energy to prevent muscle breakdown. After a workout it is important to restore your depleted glycogen levels, and “bad” carbs are ideal for the job
Good article! I definitely experience a higher level of blood sugar after I eat bad carbs, white bread mostly. I feel the sugar in my veins for a long time, it takes hours to pass.