What Are Some Unhealthy Carbs?

Carbohydrates, protein and fat form a dietary triumvirate called macronutrients. These three basic components of food each play a vital role in nutrition, and eliminating one or another as part of following a fad diet can have negative effects on your health. As with protein and fat, however, there are unhealthy carbs that play a role in weight gain and the onset of chronic diseases. Consult your doctor before beginning any diet, and discuss the role of carbohydrates.

What Are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates fuel your body and contribute fiber and essential vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to your diet. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories come from carbohydrate sources. The healthiest and most beneficial carbohydrates are those closest to their natural form as possible ---- whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes and whole grains.

Processed Foods

Fresh, whole foods tend to spoil quickly. Processing gives foods a longer shelf life, but also strips out the nutrients and replaces them with additives like sodium, trans fat and refined sugar. Highly processed food products, such as chips and crackers, frozen meals, packaged desserts and baked goods, pasta mixes and other convenience foods, are generally unhealthy forms of carbohydrates. These foods line the center aisles of most supermarkets, making up a majority of their fare. Whole foods, including healthier carbs such as produce and whole grains, tend to form the outer rim of grocery stores.

Refined Sugar

Natural sugar cane is not just sweet, but contains vital minerals such as chromium. Refined sugar has lost almost all of it natural nutrients, with only sweetness and empty calories remaining. This type of sugar releases quickly into your bloodstream, causing spikes in your blood glucose levels and overtaxing your pancreas, which works overtime to bring your levels back under control. Types of sugars that are unhealthy carbs include table sugar, brown sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. Many processed carbs ---- everything from spaghetti sauce to breakfast cereals ---- contain hidden sugar; read the labels for ingredients ending in "-ose." Sodas and sweetened teas also contain refined sugar that may lead to weight gain and conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Refined Grains

Whole grains supply dietary fiber needed for healthy digestion and elimination. They also contain essential minerals, such as potassium, which assists muscle and nerve functioning, and magnesium, which supports heart health. In contrast, refined carbs such as white bread, white flour, bagels, crackers and white rice have had the germ stripped out, and with it the nutritional benefits of grains. In his book, "The Nutrient-Dense Eating Plan," chiropractor Douglas Margel notes that as much as 80 percent of the magnesium in whole grains is lost in the refining process. Refined grains are high glycemic foods, because they convert to glucose quickly in the bloodstream, resulting in energy spikes and crashes. For better nutrition, look for the words "whole grain" or "stone-ground wheat" as the major ingredients on a food label.