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.

Breakfast at Your Desk: Eat Your ... Collagen

I recently read a fascinating post on a health blog about the collagen-rich foods that may do your body--and your skin!--good. Here's a few you can enjoy for breakfast ...

Sara Reistad-Long, a blogger I know over at SvelteGourmand posted something fascinating about collagen in foods recently: "A few years ago I wrote a short piece for Gourmet about 'Collagen Cuisine,'" she writes. "Since collagen is what keeps our skin looking young (it's what facial injectables are made of), the idea here is to eat it. Kind of like that obscure rock band, it's something that's, well, really big in Japan. There, they serve it up in fortified foods (marshmallows seem to be extra popular) as well as elaborately prepared natural sources (mostly pigs' feet). The crazy part is that research suggests this might have some benefit."

10 Tips to Lower Blood Pressure and Reduce Cholesterol - Naturally

1. MANAGE STRESS: Although stress is a normal part of the human experience, it is how we manage stress. Stress and anxiety cause chemicals to be released into your body, raise your blood pressure and cause a reduction of blood flow to your heart. Most people in Stage 1 or 2 of adrenal fatigue typically have elevated blood pressure secondary to increased cortisol and adrenaline. Those with hypertension should always rule out heavy metal toxicity. Excessive stress will elevate LDL cholesterol levels as well.

Winning Formulas to Relax and Manage Stress:

* Prioritize - write down your priorities

* Breathe - Full, deep belly breathing. Start with a minimum of two minutes every day and gradually increase to ten minutes daily.

Breakfast At Your Desk: Have Some Pomegranate Juice This Week!

Do you have some sort of juice every morning at breakfast? There's nothing wrong with our old pal OJ, but pomegranates are in season (and they're so antioxidant-rich!), so why don't we all have a little pom juice? Here's some ideas...

I loved reading Jacqueline's cute post over at Pham Fatale about her mother-in-law's pomegranate-loving ways:

"My mother-in-law is a pomegranate juicing expert," she wrote. "I watch her every day lovingly peeling, seeding and juicing pomegranates for an hour for her husband. She goes through so many pomegranates that the two trees on the property don't produce enough fruit for her. You may wonder why she doesn't just buy commercially prepared pomegranate juice, but once you try it at home you'll know the difference. The commercial varieties (even those with 100% juice) are prepared from concentrate, which definitely affects the flavor. My mother-in-law is actually so fanatical about the flavor of the pomegranates that she takes a knife to the grocery store, buys one, and makes sure it is sweet before buying a lot more."

Breast Augmentation - A Simple Guide to Incision Options

Choosing from the variety of breast augmentation incision options is one of the toughest decisions a woman will face prior to surgery. Finding the right placement site deals with more than just scaring; rather, the right placement can affect everything from reduced pain and recovery time to more long term issues such as breastfeeding problems and nipple sensation.

For this reason, a woman must educate herself on breast augmentation placement options prior to surgery. The following article will outline some of the various locations as well as the pros and cons surrounding that choice.

1. Inframammary Incision-The location of this scar remains hidden under the fold at the bottom of the breast.

Hypothyroidism in Dogs

Hypothyroidism is a disease caused by the deficiency of the thyroid hormone. This occurs usually due to a malfunctioning thyroid gland. Read on to know more about the causes and treatment of this disease in dogs...

The thyroid gland, located near the base of the neck, is responsible for producing thyroxine, a hormone that regulates the metabolic activities of animals. Hypothyroidism is a disease that is caused by lower or insufficient production of the thyroid hormone. It is a common health problem that equally affects both male and female dogs.

Causes

Hypothyroidism is usually caused by the impairment of the thyroid gland, when it fails to produce and release adequate amount of hormones required to carry out metabolic activities. Sometimes, the damage of this gland is done by the dog's own immune system and this condition is known as autoimmune thyroiditis. In this condition, the cells of the thyroid gland are destroyed by the immune system. At other times, it is caused by atrophy of the thyroid tissues and the consequent invasion of these tissues by fats.