Good carb Bad carb!

What constitute a good carb?  I am having a difficult time keeping my carbs as low as I want them to be, not because I crave any particular carb (I quit bread, pasta, potatoes and rice), but because they are EVERYWHERE!!

Right now, my main source of carbs is in my greek yogurt.  The other day I splurged and had 15 red grapes...which according to mfp is 11 g of carbs.  In my serving size of greek yogurt I get 23 g.  1.5 cup of skim milk (daily serving for me because I make latte's with it) is 20g.  So while I try to stay below 40g daily, I find it to be a real struggle and wonder why exactly determines a good vs bad carb.  Obviously the processed food isn't good but amid the natural food...how is it determined?  Is it based on the glycemic index?  So far that is what I base my choices on...but a person has to wonder why a cantaloupe is considered a higher Gi food than an apple and how this plays on the carbs used during a weight loss phase. 

Any thoughts on this anyone?

If you are looking to lower carbs, try making some simple substitutions.  Kroger Lite Greek yogurt, for example, has only 8 grams of carbs, 16 grams of protein and only 90 calories.  The Dannon light version is better too, but less protein.  Try Almond milk or Flax.  The flax milk I use was purchased specifically to make my lattes with and only has 25 calories for 8 ounces, and it works excellent in the latte.  There is only 1 gram of carb in it and lots of calcium, but no protein.  

It is good that you are considering the GI index- I strongly recommend you consider that.  The problem is not that carbs are bad, but that if eaten too much at one sitting it can flood your system with insulin.  The insulin in turns stores calories to fat, triggers hunger, and triggers cravings.  Personally, i alternate 15 net carbs an 30 net carbs when I eat to avoid this nasty little cycle, and it works well for me.  When I do overdue the carbs, the craving**** fast and I need to detox.  

Good carbs- fiber, whole grains, fruits, veggies.  Some fruit is higher on the GI index so be mindful, and also be mindful of portion size.  Some veggies are very starchy and should be carefully measured.  

Good luck!

Is there a list or book that actually lists good and bad carbs?

I too would like to know this info.  Thanks for bringing it up.

I get most of my carbs from veggies which are low in calories, low in carbs and high in fiber, think spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, salad greens, peppers, onions cukes, and many others.  When considering carbs, I look for a high ratio of carbs and fiber, the fiber being on the high end.  Berries, apples, pears and oranges are some of the better fruits, but within limits of course.  If you are using the glycemic index, ignore things like chocolate and ice cream which are relatively low because of a high fat content.  Pure protein and fat are at the 0 end of the glycemic index but are high in calories.  I avoid grains except on rare occasions.

Nuts like almonds are good in moderation because the carbs in them have fiber.  So to make a long story short, I rely on the glycemic index only when it comes to plant food and not anything that has multiple ingredients in it, like something in a box.

During my losing phase, the only carbs I allowed in were from veggies and low carb veggies at that.  There were also a few from Greek yogurt and some non fat dairy.  I was very careful to check the nutrition label on dairy products like the Greek yogurt, some are much lower than others.  I did not allow any fruit or grains in during the losing phase.  I kept my carbs under 40 daily but reduced them to under 20 if I hit a stall or needed things to speed up. 

You can cut WAY down on carbs by choosing unflavored greek yogurt and adding sf syrups and a little sweetener (I use truvia).  My favorites are divinci and torino syrups- for yogurt I like almond, banana, vanilla, dulche la leche- there are tons of flavors. There are 18 protien in plain, depending on brand.  Stick with the "clean" greek, stay away from any additives and fillers.

I also switched to almond milk for shakes to lower carbs.

Experiment! Good luck!

Ellyn

All of the above is good information. But remember one thing, you need carbs. Carbs keep you from losing muscle when you workout. They help with keeping headaches, fuzzy brain, and fatigue a bay. I'm pretty active and during my losing faze I was around 60-80g of carbs, now I'm trying to get it up to 100-130g. I work with a NUT. We are all different and each of us need different things. I have always had fruit in my diet, whether in a smoothie or whole. They add good carbs. When you look at a food label, look at the sugars in the carbs. That's what you want to keep low. The dietary fiber in the carbs are the carbs you want. 

I hope this helps. I'm 9 months out, hit goal at 6 months and am now lower than goal. I've lost over 100 lbs. , 95 of it since 1/2012.

I wish you a happy and healthy journey.

Errr what?   IFf someone has come out with a study that shows that carbs maintain muscle  I'd love to see it,   but from everything I've read nobody *needs* carbs.  They are the only non essential macronutrient,  you need fat and you need protein.  If you don't have enough protein you can't maintain your muscle.   Carbs are an easy and quick fuel source and so they're popular with athletes. 

To me good carbs would be:  Low carb veggies,  berries,

"bad" carbs would be:   Breads, flour, starches, sugar etc.

Of course within the bad ones there are degrees of bad.   For sure a slice of sugary cake is worse than a baked potato.