Good carbs and bad carbs: Know the difference

There has always been a misconception when it comes to carbohydrates. To start with, carbs, or
carbohydrates are a vital energy source and essential for overall good health. When one consumes
carbohydrates, the body converts them into sugar/glycogen which supplies the energy required for
optimal body functioning. Carbs, usually are the naturally-occurring starches, fibers, and sugars in the
food. They’re made of sugar molecules that are linked together to form fiber and starch. Fiber doesn’t
provide energy directly but helps maintain a healthy digestive system by feeding the friendly bacteria in
the gut. It also helps prevent the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and prevent obesity by slowing
digestion and keeping one full for longer.

Simple and Complex Carbs: Know the Difference

There are generally two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex carbs.

‘Good’ Carbs

Complex carbs include vegetables, beans, whole grains, and peas and are made up of long chains of
sugar molecules that the body takes long to break down before they’re absorbed. This implies that you
will have consistent energy to keep you throughout the day. Food with complex carbs also have more
fiber, minerals, and vitamins compared to simple carbohydrates hence provide more energy. This is the
main reason they’re referred to as ‘good’ carbs. In a nutshell, complex carbs are unprocessed and
include fiber that occurs naturally in food. Some example of complex carbs are:

 Quinoa
 Vegetable
 Legumes
 Barley
 Whole grains
 Potatoes
 Corn
 Legumes

‘Bad’ Carbs

Simple carbs are referred to as bad carbs but they are not necessarily all bad carbs. It all depends on the
foods you’re getting them from. These are made up of smaller groups of glucose molecules making them
easier to absorb. These include processed carbs, juices and refined sugars that are very low in minerals,
fiber, and vitamins and get absorbed more quickly in the bloodstream leading to a rapid spike in the
blood sugar. The fruits also have simple carbs but also contain fiber, minerals and vitamins that support
the general health. It is also important to note that aside from fiber, fats and proteins also too slow the
absorption of glucose in the bloodstream. Therefore, combining simple carbs with healthy fat and
protein is a great way of preventing spikes in blood sugar. This proves that there is no such thing as a
‘bad’ carb. Examples of simple carbs include:

 Sugar-sweetened beverages such as iced tea or lemonade

 Pastries
 Cookies
 soda
 candy
 White bread
 Energy drinks
 Ice cream

The Glycemic Load Factor

Differentiating carbs as either complex of simple is one way of classifying them. However, dieticians and
nutritionists now use another concept in guiding people in making the best decision on the carbs they
should ear. This is called the glycemic index (GI) of a food which tells one how high and how quickly the
blood sugar will go up after consuming the carbohydrate included in that food as compared with
consuming pure sugar. So, foods that are high in GI are easily digested causing a fast rise in blood sugar
while lower GI foods are digested more slowly. Therefore, knowing the GI for a particular food will help
one understand how the carbohydrates in that particular food will affect the blood sugar.

The glycemic load factor is obtained by multiplying the glycemic index number of the food by the
amount of carbohydrate the food contains per serving, and dividing by 100. A high GL is 20 or greater,
medium 11-19 and low 10 or less.