Good Carbs - Bad Carbs

Dieters have been hearing this for years: BEWARE OF CARBS! Unfortunately for Atkins and his low-carb crazed dieters, research shows that carbohydrates are not all bad and are, in fact, essential to a healthy and balanced diet.

At least, some forms of carbs are good, so don't go picking up that piece of white bread yet!

The key to a healthy and balanced diet are whole grains. Whole grains are the good guys of the carb world and can be found in things such as whole wheat bread, popcorn, whole wheat pasta, and much more. Whole grains are even catching on among dieters and diet food manufacturers.

This is another point where one must beware, however; many food manufacturers are putting minimal amounts of whole grains in to refined foods so that they can put whole grain on the package. While shopping, make sure you look for foods listed as 100% whole grain or whole wheat. If that's not listed but you think it could still be a whole grain food, look at the ingredients list. If there's anything listed as "enriched wheat", drop that pseudo-wheat bread and run!

Now, what exactly are bad carbs then? SUGARS. Simple carbs are nothing but sugar and are found in the form of white breads, refined cereals, and anything that lists "enriched wheat" as its main ingredient. These are the carbs that have little to no fiber content and will turn in to jelly on your belly before you can say 'carbohydrate'.

Whole grains come with a variety of health benefits. They're filled with dietary fiber, antioxidants, protein, minerals, and vitamins. These are all found in the bran part of the grain, or the outer shell that gives them that brown appearance. In refined grains, this shell is removed and what's left is nothing but the sugary inner substance. The fiber and antioxidants found in whole grains have been shown to reduce the risks of some forms of cancer, digestive system diseases, diabetes, heart disease, and, last but not least, obesity.

In response to the low-carb diet craze, some dietitians have come up with their own anti-Atkins diets. The Bread for Life Diet created by Dr. Olga Raz has caused quite a stir in her native Israel and the book is now available in the US and Canada as well. This diet is based upon light whole grain breads and the science behind satiating hunger by regulating hormone levels in the brain. It has been proven effective by doctors in Israel and on this side of the pond people are beginning to see that a diet rich in whole grains can contribute to weight loss along with exercise.

To summarize, carbohydrates are unlike most things in this world in that there are clear-cut lines between 'good carbs' and 'bad carbs'. Good carbs are filled with fiber and have not had anything stripped from the grains out of which they were made. Bad carbs have been processed to the point that they have lost their nutritional value. Try and choose whole wheat products rather than the usual white bread and you might see yourself slim down a little without any grueling diets or hardcore workout plans (which isn't to say exercise and eating right should be avoided). So go ahead! Have that ham on wheat sandwich and enjoy it guilt-free.