Mythbuster Monday - First Edition

The Myth: Carbohydrates make me fat.

So you decided to finally lose the weight once and for all. Great! You're going to get in amazing shape and you're really serious this time. Fabulous! You're going to start by cutting out carbs. WHAT?!

Guess what: only a huge moron would cut out an entire essential food group to try and lose weight. For your information, carbs are NOT a luxury. Your body actually requires carbs just to function! Carbs provide energy, protect the muscles, help absorb calcium, feed the friendly bacteria in your intestines that aid in digestion, and can even help lower cholesterol and regulate blood pressure.

Low carb diets are associated with headaches, body aches, sore joints, muscle aches, constipation, dizziness, and loss of energy and concentration. Remove carbs completely and it gets even uglier: bad breath, dehydration, bone loss, depression, mood swings, anxiety, liver inflammation, heart disease, kidney failure, and stroke. And once you start a low or no carb lifestyle, you can never stop or you'll put the weight back on quicker than a Britney Spears marriage.

But before you run down to your nearest 7-11 to stock up on Hostess cupcakes and potato chips, keep in mind that lumping all carbs in to one happy basket is dangerous. Not all carbs are created equal. Here are the good, the bad, and the ugly:

The Good: Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Brown Rice, Grains, Whole Wheat Pasta, Fruit, Vegetables, Beans, Nuts, and Legumes.

The Bad: White Sugar, White Bread, Alcohol.

The Ugly: Soda, Donuts, Cookies, Fast Food, Processed, Battered, and/or Fried Food, and anything labeled "Diet".

Get your fill of "The Good" carbs during in the morning and throughout the day when you need the most energy, skip them at night, leave out the rest, and don't believe everything your catty girlfriends tell you.

What are your favorite carbs from each category, Good, Bad and Ugly?