Good Carbs and Bad Carbs Explained

With the raising popularity of low carb diets, people have been scared away from most carbs, which is quite unfortunate given how it's the primary source for your body to look into for energy. Let's settle this question once and for all, so you can enjoy your carbs - the good ones.

Carbohydrates are made up of glucose, fuctose, and galactose, which are chains of molecules.

Simple carbs contain smaller chains of sugar that are two molecules long. Your digestive system will break down these molecules easily and quickly, making absorption quick. Now the issue with this is that it will raise your blood sugar levels. Your body will deal with this by producing insulin which will rid the body of the excess sugar, turning it into fat. These are the infamous bad carbs, as all the do is taste good, and add fat. The nutritional value is close to nil. Not to mention the whole array of diseases you are attracting by having high insulin levels in your blood. The exception to this rule would be fruits. While their sugar content is simple sugars, they actually have nutritional value, and their fiber content will slow down the digestion process, lowering the blood sugar spike. Fruit juices are slightly less potent than actual fruits in that regard for their lower fiber content, but could be an acceptable alternative depending on your insulin sensitivity.

Complex carbs are simply a longer chain of molecules. Your body will digest these much slower, as it takes more time to break down the molecules. Vegetables, legumes and whole grains fall in this category. Taking more time to break down the molecules is a good thing, as it does not give rise to that insulin spike as a reaction to the elevated blood sugar levels. These are where most of your carb intake should come from.

Headaches Come in All Forms - What Is a Tension Headache?

Butalbital is commonly found in the prescribed medications for relief of many types of headaches e.g. tension headaches. Combined with either aspirin or acetaminophen, and some caffeine makes it even more effective.

Acetaminophen serves the purpose of reducing fever and pain while the caffeine de-constricts the blood vessels. The cause of tension headaches are due to constricted blood vessels. Hence, this drug is classified as a barbiturate. By slowing down the nerve impulses of the brain and central nervous system, it makes one relax. Acetaminophen together with caffeine and butalbital are effective for pain and discomfort relief.

For decades, Butalbital is commonly used to relieve mild to moderate headaches, especially tension headaches. In fact, butalbital has been used as a good substitute especially for those patients who are unable to take NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs), opioids and other pain relief medications.

Emotional stress has been a major contributor to tension headaches. Statistics show that one in five people experience at least a tension headache every month. Fortunately for most people, tension headaches usually lasts for a short time.

Here are the common symptoms:

- Tight feeling around the head, neck or across the eyes

- Pain (not limited to only one area of the head)

Causes of tension headaches includes the following:

- Bright sunlight

- Extreme heat/cold

- Tense muscles especially in the neck and scalp

- Caffeine

- Noise

- Cigarette smoke

- Depression and

Good Carbs and Bad Carbs List - Learn What Foods to Stay Away From

So many people can get confused about good carbs and bad carbs when trying to get lean. The most confusing thing is learning exactly which foods have the good carbs and which ones have the bad carbs.

It can actually get pretty complicated because if weight loss is your goal then you should also focus on the type of food. Generally carb rich foods can be bread, fruits, vegetables, fruits, and pasta. The foods that have a lot of fiber like fruits and vegetables also have plenty of carbs.

But white carbs are the ones you want to stay away from. These are more processed carbs that are found in white bread, white, pasta, white anything.

But what if those foods were whole wheat? Whole wheat is indeed more natural and would actually help lose weight with the fiber in whole grain foods. But keep in mind they are still loaded with just as much carbs. So you can still have whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, and even whole grain pizza dough but with moderation.

Here is a list of foods with good carbs that are more natural and less processed.

apples

celery

baked beans

nuts

oatmeal

blueberries

whole grains (limit your intake)

Basically you should always aim to get your carbs from vegetables and fruit because these are much less calorie dense and also have other great benefits for you overall health. Whole grains should be kept at a minimum if you really want to lose weight fast.

Now here is the list of bad carb sources.

white bread

white pasta

pizza dough

muffins

cake

ice cream

bagels

Do you notice the difference? Anything that is sweet is full of refined sugar that is absorbed into the system fast which is why you feel jittery. These kinds of carbs are bad and will ultimately be stored as fat.

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

Our bodies need carbohydrates! It supplies us with much needed energy, especially for those who are athletic. But eat the wrong kinds and amounts of carbs and you can end up breaking your scale! I love carbs! Who doesn't? Most comfort foods are high in carbohydrates. But we need to eat the right kinds and not overload our bodies with carbs (unless you plan on running a marathon).

The Glycemic Index is interconnected with good carbs and bad carbs. Generally speaking, carbs that are low on the glycemic index are "good carbs" and those that are high and nutritionally deficient are "bad carbs". "Bad carbs" are what experts think is the leading cause of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, high-cholesterol and among other health issues. Eating the wrong kinds of carbs and too much of them can have a contradicting effect, leaving you sluggish and low on energy. Eating carbs that are closer to nature, such as unprocessed grains are a much healthier choice and have tons of benefits! Fruits and vegetables are the best kind of carbs.

Closely following are beans, legumes, nuts (on a side note, nuts are also on the "good fats" list) and seeds. Whole grain foods such as oatmeal, bran flakes, whole grain bread, whole grain pastas, brown rice, and so on are also considered "good carbs". Most good carbs are high in fiber, low on the GI, high in nutrients, stimulate and supports metabolism and provide energy. "Bad carbs" are things like cakes, cookies, pies (basically baked goods made with white flour and/or sugar), candies, non-diet sodas, white flour products, most potatoes, white pasta, etc. Cutting out bad carbs and incorporating good carbs will likely make you feel better, give you more energy, and help you lose excess body fat.