Good carbohydrate diets support good health, bad carb diets impair it. Most good carbs are unrefined complex carbs, whereas most bad carbs are refined. Three primary factors distinguish good carbs from bad carbs -- their nutrients, fiber content and the impact they have on blood glucose and insulin levels.
Nutrient Depletion
Good carbs are nutrient-rich. A good carbohydrate food, quinoa, contains protein, complex carbohydrate, macro-minerals, trace minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Table sugar, a bad carb, contains only glucose and fructose.
Most carbohydrates convert to bad carbs in the refining process. During grain processing, dietary fibers, minerals and other nutrients are removed, making the grain nutritionally impotent. Unprocessed grains preserve nutrients.
Dietary Fiber
Although dietary fibers lack nutritional value in terms of calories and metabolites, they play important roles in how nutrients are utilized. Dietary fiber helps control the rate of nutrient absorption from the small intestine. This function is important because it maintains stable plasma glucose and insulin levels. The elevation of plasma insulin facilitates the synthesis of body fat. Other beneficial effects of dietary fiber include curbing of appetite, improvement of the peristaltic action of the intestine and prevention of conditions such as constipation and hemorrhoids.
Blood Glucose
Complex carbohydrates stabilize glucose levels,l while bad carbs destabilize it by elevating blood sugar. Stable plasma glucose levels in the normal range of 90 to 100 mg/dL, supports good health. When plasma glucose is in the normal range, insulin spikes and sustained elevations in plasma insulin is avoided. Glucose is the primary factor that regulates the release of insulin from the pancreatic beta cells. Elevation in insulin level raises the risk factors in numerous unhealthy conditions, including increase in body fat, increase in insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, ischemic heart disease, peripheral artery disease, hypertension and stroke.
Glycemic Index
Using the glycemic index, or GI, approach for dieting helps you choose good carbohydrates. Carbs with high GI values are bad, and those with low values are good. Foods with high GI such as mashed potatoes, white rice and white bread cause plasma glucose to rise sharply. Carbs with low GI such as sweet potato, honey and quinoa help maintain stable plasma insulin. Glycemic indices below 55 are considered low; values between 56 and 69 are medium and values of 70 or higher are high. Elevation of insulin levels lead to the development of insulin resistance, a primary risk factor in numerous chronic diseases.
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