The main purpose of carbohydrates is to provide us with energy. The human body breaks down most of the Carbs we eat into glucose, while the rest is stored as fat for later use. Dietary carbohydrates can be grouped into three categories: sugars, starches, and fiber. Sugars are sweet, short-chain carbohydrates found in foods. They include glucose, fructose, and sucrose. Starches, on the other hand, are long chains of glucose molecules that are eventually transformed into glucose.

Fiber is a unique carb because it doesn’t directly provide us with energy. However, it feeds the friendly bacteria living inside our gut. In return, these bacteria use the fiber we eat to produce fatty acids that some of our cells use as energy.

While the human body needs carbs to survive, do take note that not all carbs are good for us. They are many different types of food that contain carbs and each of them has different effects on our health. To ensure your health and well-being, it’s important to eat good carbs, not the bad ones. So how do you determine which is good and which is bad?

When eating carbohydrate-containing foods, there are two types of carbs you should pay attention to whole carbs and Refined Carbs.

Whole Carbs

Whole carbs are generally considered good carbs. They are unprocessed and they contain fiber naturally found in food. Examples include vegetables, whole fruit, legumes, potatoes, and whole grains, all of which are considered generally healthy.

Carbohydrates obtained from whole foods are rich in nutrients and fiber. Unlike refined carbs, they don’t cause spikes and dips in Blood Sugar Levels. Also, numerous studies show that eating carbohydrates that are rich in fiber can help improve metabolic health. It can also reduce your risk of developing hypertension, heart problems, and other related diseases.

Refined Carbs

Refined carbs are the exact opposite of whole carbs. They have been processed and as such, the natural fiber they contain are all stripped out. They include sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, pastries, white bread, white pasta, and white rice.

Various studies have shown that refined carbs can potentially cause health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes, especially when consumed excessively. They can also cause your blood sugar levels to increase dramatically in a short amount of time, which is eventually followed by a crash that can cause you to crave more high-carb foods.

Foods that contain refined carbohydrates also lack essential nutrients and the calories they provide are mostly “empty.” Also, they often contain added sugars, which are said to be the absolute worst carbohydrates you can consume as they are linked to various chronic diseases.