The most common carbohydrates are starches, fibers and sugars. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, they are divided into two types called simple -- those your body can digest quickly -- and complex carbohydrates -- those that take longer for your body to digest. Carbohydrates are made from chains of sugar molecules which your body converts during digestion except for the fiber, which passes through your gastrointestinal tract undigested, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. To distinguish good from bad carbohydrates, determine the glycemic index of the carbohydrates, which is a rating of how much a particular carbohydrate will raise your blood sugar levels after digestion.
Step 1
Determine whether your carbohydrate is simple or complex. According to the Utah Education Network, simple Carbohydrates are any type of sugar, such as sucrose found in cane sugar; fructose found in fruits; glucose found in grape sugar and most plant food; maltose found in grains; and lactose found in milk. Complex carbohydrates include starch, found in seeds and grains, including the pea and bean family. Potatoes and yams also contain starch. Complex carbohydrates also include dietary fiber, which is the indigestible part of plants. This is a preliminary step, since all simple carbohydrates have a high glycemic index and some complex carbohydrates do as well.
Step 2
Reference your complex carbohydrates against a glycemic index table provided by a trusted source, such as the one provided by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition or the Oregon State University Linus Paling Institute. Some common examples of complex carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index and are not as good for your health include white rice and sweet potatoes.
Step 3
Determine the glycemic load of simple carbohydrates such as fruit to know how many carbohydrates you are getting for its glycemic index. Harvard Health Publication has a table with the glycemic load for more than 100 foods. Typically, a glycemic load of over 20 is considered high and that food should be limited or avoided.
Step 4
Choose the carbohydrates with a low glycemic index and glycemic load. The lower the glycemic index level, the slower your blood sugar will raise and this is better for your health, since according to Harvard University, carbohydrates with high glycemic index levels increase your chances of heart disease, obesity and diabetes. Harvard University recommends that your diet consist mostly of whole grains, beans and vegetables.
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