Good Carbs & Bad Carbs

Carbohydrates, like proteins, are vital to muscle-building. As Scott Herman explained in ‘Best Carb Foods for Muscle Growth’, carbs are what give us energy so we can work out longer and better. They also combine with protein to stimulate even greater muscle growth. That is why it's recommended that you make beans, lentils, and sweet potatoes part of your diet, as these are the best carb-rich foods for muscle-building.

That being said, did you know that there are good carbs and bad carbs? A Difference Between article that distinguishes between the two clarifies that good carbs are those we get from unprocessed food. These carbs come with a high amount of fiber, and give us lots of energy. Bad carbs, on the other hand, are those that we get from processed and refined foods. As these foods are processed, they are often mixed with preservatives, coloring, flavoring, and sugar. This changes the carbs from their natural state, into something less desirable for our nutrition.

What Makes Bad Carbs Bad?

For one, they have less fiber, and have very little nutritional value. They also aren’t easily digestible, which means that they can lead to spikes in your blood glucose level, giving you an energy rush and a subsequent crash. If you continue consuming them, therefore, you’ll be at risk of type-2 diabetes, as well as weight gain and heart problems. And chances are, you’ll want to eat more of them, since processed and refined foods are often tasty — think cakes, confectionaries, pastries, and soda. All this is why bad carbs have been linked to weight gain, higher waist circumference, and an increased appetite.

Curiously, popular diet culture seems to frown upon a few excellent sources of good carbs, primarily because of their higher-than-normal carbohydrate content. Potatoes are a prime example. Parsley Health notes that potatoes are complex carbohydrates, which means that they don’t spike your blood sugar and they keep you feeling fuller for longer. They're also packed with essential vitamins, notably vitamin C, as well as plenty of antioxidants and fiber. The potato actually is much like its twin, the sweet potato, which has had a better reputation because it has less calories and carbs. But again, the potato is a great source of good carbs, and is one of the cheapest carb sources we’ve listed in our guide to ‘Bulking on a Budget’. Now, to maximize the good carbs of potatoes, we recommend not turning them into something oily, like French fries or chips.

Fruits like grapes have also gotten a bad rap, even though they contain good carbs — all because of their fructose, or sugar, content. That doesn’t mean you’ll have to avoid them, though. Rather, T2D recommends being mindful of portion sizes, as too much of these sugar-rich fruits can lead to sugar spikes. Therefore, we advise that you continue eating grapes, strawberries, and other fruits, but in moderation only.

The bottom line is, anyone who wants to build muscle must avoid bad or refined carbs as much as possible. These are the ones that mess up your energy levels and keep you from performing at your best. Remember: Half the battle in achieving your dream body is won on your plate.