While there are really no carbs that are universally bad, there are carbs that would be bad for most of us if ingested regularly. Generally speaking, bad carbs refer to carbs that are contained in foods that are high in sugar or refined flour, which can be digested quickly and then turned into fat very fast. The reason for this is because the glut in carbohydrates causes the bodies insulin to boost, which causes the body to store the carbohydrates as fat cells, instead of using them for energy. An example of bad carbs would be the carbs contained in potato chips or hamburgers.

Good carbs generally have more nutrients in them than “bad” carbs, and they usually are converted into energy rather than fat because of their molecular composition and their effect on the digestive system. A good example of good carbs would be carbs that are contained in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.   These foods not only tend to have the “good” carbs but they are also higher in vitamins,minerals and fiber. While most diets advocate the use of good carbs over bad carbs, there are still many diets out there that advise the avoidance of all carbs completely.

The toughest decision for people to make when they first start dieting is usually which diet to try first.