http://www.lowcarbcrib.com/carbohydrate/s/ Carbohydrates aren't all bad. In fact, a lot of carbohydrates are good, and good for you! en-us Fri, 09 Dec 2005 15:36:57 EST Fri, 09 Dec 2005 15:36:57 EST Weblog Editor 2.0 Who needs carbohydrates? We all do! But knowing the difference between the good carbohydrates and the bad can keep you from gaining weight, or help you lose weight. The Complexity of Carbohydrates We want to make this as simple as possible. Good carbohydrates (also known as complex carbohydrates) are found in foods that generally have a lot of fiber and take a long time for your body to break down and digest. This keeps you feeling full longer and gives your body a constant supply of energy. Bad carbs (also known as simple carbs) are easy for the body to break down, so when you eat sugary foods or drink sugary drinks, you might have a temporary burst of energy, but then you'll crash hard later. People on a low carbohydrate diet limit their carbohydrate intake dramatically. Since your body uses carbohydrates for energy, it will burn fat and protein in the absence of carbohydrates. That's how people lose so much weight. But you lose so much more than that on a low carb diet. You have bad breath, you're tired and irritable, you are at higher risk for osteoporosis and cancer, and you risk kidney damage. So what's the happy-medium? Since low carb diets limit your carb intake to anywhere from 20-60 grams of carbs a day, and people need 130-150 grams a day, find a range in between that. Need a little help counting? Get a carbohydrate counter. Are you a carb addict? Then start small. Replace your white bread, pasta and white rice with whole wheat or whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta and long grain or brown rice. Eat oatmeal for breakfast. Skip sugary cereals and go for whole grain instead. (In fact, General Mills recently announced that all of their cereals are now whole grain.) What if you have a daily snack attack? Keep fresh, precut veggies on hand or eat fruits. And if you simply must have a bad carb, that's fine. Just do it in moderation. Fri, 09 Dec 2005 15:36:57 EST http://www.lowcarbcrib.com/carbohydrate/s/complex/ Complex carbohydrates really aren't that complex. Choosing the right carbohydrates (mainly complex carbohydrates) is actually very good for you. So instead of going no carb, try low carb. Or better yet--good carbs. en-us Thu, 21 Jul 2005 10:54:50 EDT Thu, 21 Jul 2005 10:54:50 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0 http://www.lowcarbcrib.com/carbohydrate/s/good/ Good carbohydrates can give you energy and make you feel full longer. Do you know how to tell the good carbohydrates from the bad? en-us Tue, 04 Apr 2006 07:51:24 EDT Tue, 04 Apr 2006 07:51:24 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0