Good carbohydrates provide the body with vitamins, minerals, fiber and nutrients. Bad carbohydrates have little or no nutritional value, are high in sugar and often higher in calories.
Good Carbs
Good carbohydrates include oatmeal, brown rice, 100 percent whole wheat breads and buckwheat. These items are considered whole grains, or complex carbohydrates. Whole grains have several B vitamins, minerals and are full of fiber. They keep you full for long periods of time and reduce or prevent constipation.
Bad Carbs
Bad carbohydrates include white bread, white rice, corn tortillas, pretzels and white pasta. These are refined grains in which the fiber and nutrients have been removed. Unless they are enriched (certain B vitamins and iron added back in), these items produce more calories than anything else.
Vegetables
Good vegetable carbohydrates include dark-green leafy vegetables, legumes (beans, peas and seeds), sweet potatoes, parsnips and yams. These items provide vitamins such as protein, thiamine, folic acid, vitamin E and fiber.
Sweets
Baked desserts and other sweet carbohydrates include cakes, muffins, candy, syrups and soft drinks. These items are known as "empty calories" because they provide little or no nutritional value, are sweetened mostly with simple sugars, and often lead to weight gain.
Fruit and Dairy
Fruit, milk, cheese and yogurt provide necessary vitamins such as calcium, folic acid, iron and/or protein.
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