Certain carbohydrates promote good health, while other forms of carbs can lead to heart disease and increase your risk of developing diabetes. The bad reputation of carbohydrates might in part stem from the popularity of low-carb diets such as the Atkins and South Beach diets.
Significance
The glycemic index is a method of determining how carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels, and it's used as a gauge to determine the health values of various carbs. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, foods that cause a sudden burst of insulin, or sugar levels, are considered unhealthful. Those foods include processed foods such as white bread. Typically, the more processed a food is, the higher its glycemic index. Foods that fall lower on the glycemic index are digested slowe. Those foods include whole grains.
Potential
Processed carbohydrates such as white bread, sugary soda drinks, white rice and pastries can lead to weight gain and sabotage weight-loss efforts, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. How the body processes various carbohydrates also affects the potentially healthful or unhealthful effects. For example, the starch in french fries is considered a complex carbohydrate, yet the body processes it quickly, leading to spikes in blood sugar. Conversely, simple sugars found in fresh fruit do not affect blood sugar levels as drastically.
Consequences
In addition to weight gain, foods that rate higher than 70 on the glycemic index lead to other medical complications. Heart disease, age-related macular degeneration and diabetes often are linked to diets high in bad carbs. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, other diseases associated with unhealthy carbohydrates include colorectal cancer and infertility.
Features
In addition to highly processed foods, bad carb diets include simple carbs in the form of added sugar. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, package labels often hide added sugar behind various names such as corn syrup and corn sweetener. Sucrose, maltrose, lactose and fructose also are names used to indicate unhealthful carbohydrate additions to food. Unhealthful carbs added to food include brown sugar, high fructose corn syrup, honey, sugar and molasses.
Expert Insight
Healthful carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at least half of your daily carbohydrate intake should come from whole grains such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice and whole grain bread. Total daily consumption should consist of about 3 to 4 oz. of whole grains. Dietary fiber provided by carbs should make up about 14 g per 1,000 calories consumed. Healthy carbs that are considered high in fiber include fresh fruit and vegetables, beans and whole grains.
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