What’s the difference between a sandwich made on white bread and one made with 100% whole grain bread?

Or, the difference between French fries and side salad made with spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and kidney beans?

All the foods above are carbohydrates. But the second option in both questions includes good carbohydrate foods (whole grains and vegetables).

The good ones—fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains—are balanced and unprocessed, are slower to digest, keep our blood sugar steady, and come with bonus nutrients like protein, fiber, and vitamins.

Are Carbohydrates Good or Bad?

I don’t know about you but I have felt confused the last few years about carbs. One minute everyone is doing low-carb, the next everyone is counting macros and saying it doesn’t matter what carbs you eat, it’s all about the basic numbers of counting your carbs, fats and proteins.

There are so many so many conflicting opinions about healthy eating and what is best for your body—what is the best way to eat to lose weight—what is the best way to eat for a long, healthy life, etc. And one of the most basic building blocks in all of that are carbohydrates.

Our diets at their most basic level can be broken down into 3 basic things: carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Then, of course, it can get more complicated than that (saturated fats, trans fats, etc.). I think one thing that is being talked about in recent years is the difference between good carbs and bad carbs. I think mostly everyone knows there is a big difference between a bag of chips and a sweet baked potato. One of the big differences you get in “good” carbohydrates is a lot of fiber.

Why Fiber in Carbohydrates Counts

Fiber is the part in plant foods that humans can’t digest. Even though fiber isn’t absorbed, it does all sorts of great stuff for our bodies.

Fiber slows down the absorption of other nutrients eaten at the same meal, including carbohydrates.

• This slowing down may help prevent peaks and valleys in your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes.

• Certain types of fiber found in oats, beans, and some fruits can also help lower blood cholesterol.

• As an added plus, fiber helps people feel full, adding to satiety.

What Are the Bad Carbs?

• Sugars

• “Added” sugars

• Refined “white” grains

There’s no way to sugarcoat the truth: Americans are eating more sugar than ever before. In fact, the average adult takes in about 20 teaspoons of added sugar every day, according to the USDA’s recent nationwide food consumption survey. That’s about 320 calories, which can quickly up to extra pounds. Many adults simply don’t realize how much added sugar is in their diets.

Here are some good ways to choose healthier carb options throughout your day. These good carb options will help you stay fuller, not raise your blood sugar, and fill you with fiber and vitamins.

Start with a More Balanced Breakfast

Smoothie shops can cram 73g carbs into 20 ounces. Make your own instead with Greek yogurt and fresh fruit, which can give you a delicious healthy smoothie for under 250 calories.

Bakery muffins can pack in 66g refined carbs. Try a healthy bran version instead with 29g healthy carbs.

A 10-inch flour tortilla adds 37g refined carbs to your burrito. Instead, smear avocado, 2 scrambled egg whites, and salsa on a 6-inch whole-wheat tortilla: 16g carbs, 10g fiber, 11g protein.

Do Smarter Snacking

Low-cal pretzels and angel food cake are 100’% refined carbs. Instead, try fiber and protein filled nuts or edamame.

Get your cheesy cracker fix with part-skim string cheese and whole-wheat woven crackers instead of cheddar crackers.

Skip the fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt and top 6 ounces Greek yogurt with blueberries. You’ll cut carbs in half and add 8g protein.

Get Some Good, Natural Energy From Lunch

Pasta salad has 40g refined carbs per cup. Triple the fiber and make whole-grain salads with quinoa, farro, or bulgur. I like to make up a batch of quinoa and keep it in my fridge for the week so I can make a healthy breakfast cereal with it or easily sprinkle some onto a salad.

Bean-based soups pack in more than twice the fiber of noodle soups: Skip the bread and add a handful of greens.

Baked pita chips pack 19g refined carbs into 10 chips. Munch on carrot and hummus instead to double the fiber and cut 6g carbs.

End the Day on a Good Note

Add nuts or seeds like pumpkin or sunflower for crunch instead of croutons, which pack in 13g carbs per ½ cup. Toss with oil and vinegar, and save 7g carbs over low-fat dressings, which swap fat for sugar.

2 whole-grain corn tortillas save 18g carbs over a flour tortilla burrito with rice, meat, and beans.

Yep, booze counts, too. A 12-ounce lager has about 12g carbs. A 5-ounce glass of red wine has 4g.

Do you regularly try to make it an effort to worry about what kind of carbohydrates you are eating? I hope this was helpful to give you some ideas how to get more nutritious, satiating food into your diet every day.