List of Good Vs. Bad Carbohydrates

When losing weight is your goal, it is important to look not only at how much you are eating, but also the quality of the foods you choose. To lose weight, it is essential to create a calorie deficit. But counting calories alone is not enough if you want to improve your health and prevent deficiency and disease. Food high in nutrient density provide a high level of necessary vitamins, minerals and other essential compounds per calorie. By choosing nutrient dense foods and avoiding high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, you can still meet all your needs for vitamins, minerals and macro-nutrients while remaining in your weight loss calorie budget. Best yet, the good carbs outlined below have lower glycemic index, meaning that they cause blood sugar to increase less dramatically. This can translate into keeping you full for longer, truly an asset of any weight loss plan.

Good Carbs: Whole Grains

Some of the best sources of nutrient-dense carbohydrates are whole grains. When you read "whole grain" on a label, that tells you that all three parts of the grain are included--bran, endosperm and germ. In contrast, refined grains do not contain all three. Often, only the starchy, low-nutrient endosperm is present. Choose foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, popcorn, oats and oatmeal. You may also find some whole grains new to you, such as millet, teff, spelt, kamut, quinoa or barley. Many of these can be cooked and used like rice for side dishes, pilaf, soups or stews.

Good Carbs: Vegetables and Fruit

If you want an abundance of the best weight-loss foods, head directly to the produce section, and stock up on a colorful array. Produce is loaded with vitamins and minerals, low in calories and provides hundreds of different antioxidants that fight disease. In addition, the high fiber content of fruits and vegetables keeps you feeling full for longer and prevents a rapid spike in blood glucose.

All varieties of fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables are good choices, but steer clear of varieties with added fat, sugar or salt. Make an effort to eat the skin on apples, pears and other produce whenever possible because peeling them reduces both the fiber and vitamin content.

Bad Carbs: Added Sugars

Sugar is found in many processed foods, including some you would not necessarily think of as sweet. Salad dressing, condiments and even lunch meats can have added sugar. And although sugar is a carbohydrate and contains calories, it provides no other nutrients. Minimizing sugar intake can help you reduce calories, without sacrificing any nutrients.

Aim to minimize your intake of candy, sweetened cereal, soda and other sweets. Read labels to select items that contain less sugar, such as light or plain yogurt instead of sugar-sweetened varieties. If you are accustomed to adding sugar to your coffee or tea, you may find that gradually reducing the amount you use can ease the transition.

Bad Carbs: Refined Flour

When whole grains are stripped of some parts, they lose many of their vitamins, minerals and fiber. Refined flour can be found on food labels as "enriched flour" in many types of bread, cookies, crackers and baked goods. Try to consume less white rice, white bread, bagels, crackers and cereals that are not made with whole grain. For many products, simply switch to a whole grain version of the same item, such as whole wheat pitas or bagels. If the only choice is a refined starch, such as white bread served with your dinner, consider skipping it altogether in favor of extra vegetables.