What are carbohydrates?

Good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are found in foods you know are good for you such as vegetables and the ones you know are not good such as doughnuts. This has led to the idea that some carbohydrates are "good" and some are "bad." According to Healthy Geezer Fred Cicetti, carbohydrates commonly considered bad include pastries, sodas, highly processed foods, white rice, white bread and other white flour foods. These are foods with simple carbohydrates. Bad carbohydrates rarely have any nutritional value.

Carbohydrates usually considered good are complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes. These are not only processed more slowly, but they also contain a bounty of other nutrients.

The Pritikin Longevity Center offers this checklist for determining if a carbohydrate is "good" or "bad."

Good carbohydrates are:

• Low or moderate in calories
• High in nutrients
• Devoid of refined sugars and refined grains
• High in naturally occurring fiber
• Low in sodium
• Low in saturated fat
• Very low in, or devoid of, cholesterol and fats

Bad carbohydrates are:

• High in calories
• Full of refined sugar, like corn syrup, white sugar, honey and fruit juices
• High in refined grains like white flour
• Low in many essential and useful nutrients
• Low in fiber
• High in sodium
• High in saturated fat High in cholesterol and fats