05.05.2011                      01.Ijar, 5771                      Rosch Hodesch 2; Tag 16 des Omer

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Healthy Eating: The low down on carbs, part 2

From bread, to rice to potatoes, find out which of our favorite starches are better than they seem, and which are worse than we could have ever dreamed.

Last week, we covered the glycemic index as well as four “good” carbs (quinoa, pearled barley, oatmeal and bulgar) that are not only loaded with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients (also known as fiber), but also help to control and even lose weight! Unfortunately, most of our favorite carbs do not fall into this “good” guy category. From candies, to sodas, to most alcohol and processed grains such as white bread and white rice, these "bad” carbs seem to pop up and follow us everywhere we go. 
But before diving into which these villainous foods are, first let's discuss why these carbohydrates are so terrible? For starters, “bad” carbs are typically processed foods that are depleted or stripped of their nutritional content. Now, if that wasn’t bad enough they are quickly digested, causing blood sugar levels spikes. While instant energy boosts are sometimes important (and needed), like everything in life, what goes up must come down, so even though these carbs may give one a temporary pick-me up, blood sugar levels will quickly come crashing down, leading to fatigue, irritability and of course craving for more (high sugar) food. “Good” carbs, on the other hand, burn much slower, keeping blood sugar levels stable and thus keeping one feeling full longer – thereby eliminating hunger  and craving for more food….