The Word on Weightloss

Good carbs, bad carbs - isn't a carb, a carb? What's the difference? Understanding carbs in your weight loss plan can be an important factor in the results of your diet. Some diets say carbs are bad; some say certain ones are okay; foods with a lot of carbs such as oats have been touted as a healthy way to lower risk of certain diseases.

What's a Good Carb?

So, what's the difference between a side of fries or slices of french bread with your meal and a side of salad or a whole wheat dinner roll? Both are carbs - are they good or bad?

Good carbs contain fiber and are absorbed more slowly by your body, keeping your blood sugar levels more even. Good carbs are found in the second choices:

• Vegetables
• Whole grain breads and cereals
• Fruits
• Legumes (beans)

Bad carbs are found in the same foods but have been refined or processed - the fiber is effectively stripped away. Switching your choices from white breads (including bagels, rolls, pastries, muffins made with white flour), white rice and sugary cereals to foods made with whole grains, brown rice, vegetables, fruits and beans will increase your good carb intake as well as your overall fiber intake. Eating fewer refined and processed carbohydrates can help decrease

Good Carbs Count

Good carbs are found in plant foods that contain lots of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber. A necessary part of a good carb is its fiber content. Many studies in recent years have shown that high-fiber diets may help decrease risk of heart disease, prevent colon cancer and aid in the effectiveness of weight loss plans.

Fiber is Your Weight Loss Plan Friend

The human body does not disgest the fiber in the plant foods. But that doesn't mean we do not benefit from eating fiber. A typical American diet is not high in fiber; our society eats too many highly processed and refined foods. From the slice of toast or bagle for breakfast (even commerical egg breakfast sandwiches are made with refined flour breads), to the french fries or baguette sandwhich at lunch, to the pasta or white rice at dinner, our choicess are not high fiber foods.

By including more high fiber foods in your meals, you aid your weight loss efforts; fiber helps you feel full and satiated which helps you eat less.

• Eat fruits and vegetables, even as snacks. Depending on what you choose you can get more grams of fiber.
• Eat more beans, not only are they high in fiber, they provide protein too.
• Eat whole grain products whenever you can, including tortillas, pasta, crackers, pretzels and all types of breads.

Bad Carbs - Where are They?

We eat a lot of sugars in our daily diet - some are more hidden than others and disguised as "high fructose syrup" or "corn syrup."

• Sugar
• "Added sugars"
• Refined grains such as white flour

Added sugars such as these supply flavor and calories but offer very little nutritional value to the food. According to the USDA's nationwide survey about food consumption, Americans eat about 20 teaspoons or 320 calories from sugar every day.

Foods made with refined or added sugars and refined grains have a low glycemic index, meaning they give your body a "quick energy" spike in the form of glucose. It's quick energy and has a short duration; high glycemic foods (such as whole grain foods or brown rice) are absorbed more slowly and will keep your blood sugar levels even for a longer period of time. Their sugars are unprocessed or only minimally processed and contain natural sugars like lactose (milk) or fructose.

Get More Good Carbs and Fiber

The National Academies Institute of Medicine recommends:

• Men <50 years get 38 grams of fiber per day.
• Men 50> years get 30 grams of fiber per day.
• Women <50 years get 25 grams of fiber per day.
• Women 50> years get 21 grams of fiber per day.

Getting more fiber from good carbs is not difficult but involves making different and healthier food choices. High fiber diets are associated with lowering some health risks and preventing some chronic disease or certain cancers. Because we do not need as many calories as we age, we slightly fewer grams of fiber as we get older.