Carbs 101 - The Good and the Bad

Cutting carbs might seem like an easy way to clean up your diet and lose weight, but not all carbs are created equal. In fact, says AOL Health, cutting carbs could mean cutting out essential nutrients and powerful antioxidants. Instead of cutting them out, get carb smart instead.

Let's compare brown and white rice, for example. Though cup for cup they compare in calories and carbohydrates, processing destroys 60 to 80 percent of the nutrients in white rice. Not only that, in a cup of brown rice you'll get three grams of fiber, while in white you'll get nearly none. It's exactly that fiber that is credited in at least one study for helping women maintain a healthy weight.

So the good news is, you don't have to give up carbs to lose weight. You just have to choose wisely. AOL Health says that if it has a bar code, it's likely not a smart carb. Instead, get your carbs from whole foods like fruits, vegetables and whole, unprocessed grains.