This guide is dedicated to helping you distinguish between good and bad carbohydrates, with insights on:

• Understanding Carbohydrates
• The Carb Controversy: Why Are Carbs So Confusing?
• Why Some Health Experts Recommend Reducing Carb Intake
• Practical Tips for Identifying “Bad Carbs” and Foods to Avoid
• The Impact of Cutting Out Carbs Entirely

In today's world, managing blood sugar is crucial, and there’s no shortage of opinions about carbohydrates.

“You should eliminate carbs entirely!” proclaim the keto enthusiasts.
“Avoid carbs at all costs,” some doctors advise.
“But aren’t fruits and vegetables also carbs?” you might wonder.

It’s time to clear up the confusion surrounding carbohydrates, giving you the knowledge and confidence to manage your blood sugar and overall health effectively.

The reality is, the information you've received about carbs is often oversimplified and sometimes misleading. The question of whether carbs are “good” or “bad” isn’t as straightforward as it seems. While some carbs should be limited, others are essential and can even help manage your blood sugar levels.

In fact, certain plant-based carbohydrates can play a significant role in controlling blood sugar naturally. Surprised? That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to help you differentiate between “good” and “bad” carbs and make informed decisions about which carbohydrates to include in your diet—even if you’re concerned about blood sugar.

What Exactly Are Carbs?

Forget what you’ve heard about carbs, and let’s start from the basics.

Carbohydrates, or carbs, are one of the three main macronutrients necessary for survival—the others being protein and fat. Most foods contain some form of carbs. Typically, when a food is labeled as a “carb,” it means that its carbohydrate content is higher than its protein or fat content.

This means that “carb” can refer to anything from a plate of pasta to a bowl of sugary cereal or even a serving of green beans.

When you consume carbohydrates, your body converts them into glucose, which fuels your brain and body, providing the energy you need.

There are two primary types of carbs: simple carbs and complex carbs. Let’s explore the differences:

Simple Carbs (Also Known As Refined Carbs or Sugars)

Simple carbs are often what give carbohydrates a bad reputation.

These carbs, which include sugars and refined grains stripped of nutrients, are digested quickly. Consuming them leads to rapid spikes in blood sugar levels and can contribute to insulin resistance—a condition where your body struggles to manage glucose and insulin efficiently.

Excessive sugar consumption has been linked to weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes, making these carbs ones you should limit or avoid, particularly if you’re focused on managing your blood sugar or weight.

Examples of simple carbs include:

• Sweets such as cookies, cakes, and pastries
• Processed or refined foods like white bread, pretzels, or refined pasta
• Natural sugars like honey, cane sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar
• Fruit juices, whether canned, jarred, or freshly squeezed

Complex Carbs (Also Known As Whole Carbs)

Complex carbs, including fibers and starches, are also carbohydrates, but they differ significantly from sugars. These carbs take longer to digest, meaning they don’t cause the same rapid spikes in blood sugar levels as simple carbs.

When it comes to complex carbs, the more complex they are, the better they are for managing blood sugar. The closer they are to their natural, whole-food state, the more beneficial they are—especially if they are rich in fiber.

Let’s break down this category further:

Starches

Starches are plant-based foods that often cause confusion when it comes to blood sugar regulation.

Starches can be beneficial or harmful depending on their type and form. For instance, oats are a starch that can help control blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

Some starches, like potatoes or whole-grain bread, can be consumed in moderation without causing significant blood sugar spikes. However, eating a large portion of these carbs can lead to elevated glucose levels. The impact varies depending on individual blood sugar responses.

Examples of starches include:

• Whole wheat pasta
• Potatoes
• Whole grain bread
• Corn
• Oats
• Brown or white rice

Fiber

Fiber is the ultimate champion among healthy carbs, especially for those with insulin resistance or diabetes.

These types of carbs offer numerous health benefits, particularly prebiotic fibers like resistant starch.

Fiber and resistant starch are incredibly beneficial for several reasons:

• They help you feel full, reducing the likelihood of overeating and making weight management easier.
• They, particularly prebiotic fibers, strengthen your gut microbiome, which is essential for blood sugar control, immune function, and even mood.
• They help manage “bad” cholesterol, promoting heart health.
• They improve digestive health and regularity.

Fiber is found in a variety of healthy plant foods, such as:

• Vegetables like leafy greens or broccoli
• Fruits like apples, berries, or green unripened bananas
• Beans
• Nuts
• Legumes

The Importance of Fiber: What the Science Says

Scientific evidence consistently supports the health benefits of fiber-rich carbs. Studies show that:

• Increased dietary fiber is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and colon cancer. For individuals with diabetes, who are at higher risk for stroke and heart disease, fiber is a crucial dietary tool.
• Consuming resistant starch can lower blood sugar levels after meals and even reduce post-lunch blood sugar spikes when eaten at breakfast.
• Prebiotic fiber is vital for supporting a healthy gut microbiome, reducing blood sugar in people with diabetes or prediabetes, and even improving bone density.

The Carb Controversy: Why Are Carbs So Confusing?

At some point, all carbs were lumped together with the oversimplified message that all carbs are bad for your health and blood sugar control. This generalization has become widespread, but it simply isn’t true.

Humans are busy, and our brains prefer simple messages. However, the term “carb” isn’t very meaningful when it comes to making healthy food choices, especially for blood sugar control. There’s a significant difference between “bad carbs” like sugar and “good carbs” like fiber. It doesn’t make sense to treat all carbs the same way.

Some carbs, particularly fibers, are crucial for naturally managing blood sugar levels. These are the types of carbs you need to include more of in your diet, especially if you’re dealing with elevated glucose levels.

Why Do Some Health Experts Recommend Cutting Out All Carbs?

If fiber and prebiotic fibers like resistant starch—both technically carbs—are so beneficial, why do some experts suggest eliminating carbs from your diet entirely?

The truth is, many primary care physicians receive limited training in nutrition science and often need to keep their recommendations brief. As a result, they may advise patients to “avoid carbs” rather than delve into the nuances of different types of carbs.

Additionally, the medical field can be slow to adapt to shifts in dietary recommendations. This means that sometimes, we need to take our health into our own hands to get blood sugar under control now.

But What About Keto and Low-Carb Diets?

The keto diet is often touted for blood sugar management, and for some, this approach can be effective for weight loss and improved glucose levels.

However, if you’ve tried keto and found it unsustainable or experienced fatigue and headaches, you’re not alone.

While everyone’s experience is unique, drastically cutting all carbs—especially complex carbs like fiber and resistant starch—can deprive your body of essential nutrients and reduce the diversity of your gut microbiome.

The good news? The fiber in most complex carbs doesn’t count toward your net carb count, meaning you can still enjoy these superfoods guilt-free, even on a low-carb diet.

Practical Tips: How to Identify “Bad Carbs” and Foods to Avoid

To make it easier to manage carbs in your diet, here’s a simple tip: Avoid foods with a high net carb count. You can calculate net carbs using this equation:

Total carbs – fiber – non-digestible carbs = Net Carbs

For example, if you look at the GLP-1ACTIV8 label:

Here, you’ll see the total carbs, subtract the fiber and non-digestible carbs (such as sugar alcohols), and end up with a net carb count.

This approach can also be applied to beans, fruits, vegetables, and other fiber-rich foods.

Is It Healthy to Cut Out All Carbs?

In short, it’s not ideal to eliminate all carbs from your diet.

While it’s true that digesting carbs raises blood glucose and prompts insulin release, avoiding them entirely is misguided advice, especially if you’re trying to manage blood sugar.

The most practical way to identify foods with “good carbs” is by checking their fiber content. Aim to consume more of those fiber-rich carbs like resistant starch, which are incredibly effective at lowering blood sugar and offering a range of health benefits.

Everyone should aim to eat about 30g of fiber a day, yet most Americans get less than half that amount. Once you identify a carb as fiber-rich, use the Net Carb count to determine how many “bad carbs” it contains.

We hope this guide has been helpful. For more great health-focused content, visit our blog and explore the resources available there.