I don't really know the difference! I know you're supposed to have a lot of carbs everyday for energy and whatnot, but I hear people talking about complex carbs and I'm not sure what that means. Fruit and veggies good, I know that much. But what about bread, pasta, cereal, etc? My carbs are always on the high side and I want to make sure I'm not going overboard or anything. Thanks!

When most people talk about "good" and "bad" carbs they are talking about carbs that come from fruits, veggies and whole grains ("good") versus highly refined carbs from things like processed sugars and grains -- white bread, white rice, white pasta ("bad").

"Good" carbs are higher in fiber (which can help you stay full AND lower cholesterol), and are usually better than the 'bad' carbs at keeping blood sugar stabilized. Because they are less processed, they also contain more nutrients.

So, if you pay attention to the types of carbs, you will eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains, and fewer processed sugar (and candy) and other processed grains (for instance, brown rice become white rice when the outer layer is stripped off, removing many nutrients and fiber!!)

Another thing about the "bad" carbs- they make me want MORE "bad" carbs. Once I start eating them, I crave MORE of them. With the "good" carbs, that doesn't happen.

Unfortunately, that even happens to me with "good" carbs. If I don't freeze my favorite 9-grain bread when I bring it home... it's "toast"

This happens to me as well. I have to stop myself from eating grilled/oven roasted red peppers and summer squash. I love, love, love them with a bit of olive oil and garlic powder. I could eat them all day and drink milk and be a happy camper. Of course, if I have one glass of milk, I want four more. Bad carbs, bad!

milk is a carb? I, too, am sooo clueless!

Mik has protein, carbs (mik sugar) and fat (if it's not skim milk)

Sadly, it is. Yet, most cheeses aren't high in carbs, thank goodness. Yogurts can also be high in carbs as well.