Good Carbs? Bad Carbs? What the Heck?

When talking on the topic of carbohydrates, the most frequently asked question would have to be 'What's the difference between good and bad carbs other than the name?'. Well here I am to help clear up a lot of that confusion.

Let's get one thing straight, on paper low carb diets do work. However I believe the main reason for this success is due to peoples inability to control their consumption of refined carbs - breads, pastas, cakes, candies, sweets etc. However, a reduction in these types of carbs will help you lose weight. Conversely if you continue to over eat these types of refined carbs you will find it nearly impossible to lose any weight - even if you exercise like a maniac. Your blood sugar levels, insulin levels and metabolism will all be poorer for it.

Even carbs that are seemingly 'healthy' are really calories that you are going to have to burn off, and to top it off these carbs are not going to give your body the nutrients it needs - Or if you will, a very small bang for your buck. Marketers have conditioned us to believe that most whole grain breads are indeed good for us. I tend to disagree, the reason being is that these products will contain refined flour, which will affect your bloody sugar levels. This has two outcomes, firstly your appetite is not appeased and secondly down the road you may be the proud owner of type two diabetes.

It is my opinion that most people struggling to lose weight would see better results by following the following rules:

Decrease your intake of grain based foods and eat more free range meats and dairy, an awful lot of vegetables - raw and cooked.

Try to get the most from your carbs, eat veggies, sweet potatoes, whole fruits and berries. Avoid shop packaged fruit juices as these products have had beneficial fibers and nutrients removed through processing.

When eating grains, focus on the bran and the germ. These are the healthiest parts and grain, so top up on oat bran instead of oat meal.

When you feel yourself getting hungry, don't stock up on breads, pastas etc. Look to nuts, seeds, guacamole, avocados and more of the above.

For more information on diets that help you lose your embarrassing stomach fat, head out to Workouts & Diet Tips for Losing Belly Fat Fast