What Are the Differences in Good Carbs & Bad Carbs?

Simply stated, a good carbohydrate is basic and natural, while a bad carbohydrate is complex and refined. By paying close attention to what is in your food, you can make a simple adjustment from eating bad carbohydrates, to eating good ones. Carbohydrates are found in many sugary foods. While sugars are a necessary component of survival, you are better served by eating the good ones, such as those found in fruit.

Weight

• A big concern for people who are monitoring their carbohydrate intake is whether the nutrient will cause them to gain or lose weight. Bad carbohydrates have simple sugar that is refined, causing a surge in the blood-sugar level and a gain in weight, according to Healthy Life Journal. Good carbohydrates don't radically change the blood-sugar level and cause weight gain. To get the sugar intake you need, without weight gain, eat fruits and vegetables.

Foods

• An example of a good carbohydrate would be a sugar that is less refined, such as brown sugar instead of white sugar. An easy way to increase your intake of good carbohydrates over bad is if you are baking and the recipe calls for sugar, substitute it for brown sugar and you will have a healthier recipe. Good carbohydrates are found in fruit and vegetables. Other sources include pastas and whole-grain cereal. Sugars are necessary to keep fuel your body. This is one of the many healthy components of fruits and vegetables.

Lethargic

• Bad carbohydrates can make you feel more lethargic, according to Healthy Life Journal. After eating many carbohydrates throughout the day, you can become exhausted. You feel as though you can't do anything other than sit on the couch and watch TV. Even reading becomes a chore because your brain is worn out. This is because your body is crashing after a surge in the amount of energy that resulted after the intake of bad carbohydrates.

Diabetes

• Bad carbohydrates are linked to diabetes, according to Diet Health Club. The surge in your blood-sugar level due to the refined, simple carbohydrates can promote diabetes because of the increase in glucose. Your body finds that converting bad carbohydrates into energy is much more difficult than converting good carbohydrates. Diet Health Club suggests that people with diabetes should avoid bad carbohydrates altogether.