Unhealthiest Sources of Carbohydrates on the Planet

The problem is that there are two different types of carbohydrates. There are "complex" carbs, and there are "simple" carbs. Complex carbs are considered healthier than simple carbs, as they're often found in foods such as whole meal bread, pasta, rice, potatoes root vegetables etc. Simple carbohydrates are found in processed junk foods, fizzy drinks, desserts etc. They are far, far unhealthier and for that reason here's a look at four of the worst sources imaginable.

Bagels - Bagels are made from processed white flour and often contain other artificial ingredients, flavourings, and preservatives, making them stodgy and hard to digest. Not only that, but they're also very high in calories as well, with an average sized bagel containing around 300 calories and containing over 50 grams of carbohydrates. When you also consider the fact that bagels are often topped with other foods rich in calories such as creamed cheese etc, you have yourself a very calorific snack indeed.

Cheese crackers - Cheese crackers are another prime example of a food that's high in calories and low in nutrition. In fact, calling them low in nutrition is being pretty generous. In truth, these foods contain almost no nutritional value at all. They're processed with white flour, and they're absolutely packed full of artificial chemicals such as additives, flavourings, colours, and preservatives. They also contain high-fructose corn syrup, which is a sugar syrup solution that is obtained from corn, that has been found to be unbelievably unhealthy for the human body. These snacks are high in calories, high in fat, high in carbs, and low on nutrition, so stay clear.

Pastries - Pastries such as baked goods (cakes, buns, pies, pasties, baked slices etc) contain everything that is unhealthy about food. They're rich in processed white flour, the pastry contains butter or animal fat, and the fillings are often rich in sugar. Anything with a pastry crust or topping is not good for you as the nutritional value is minimum, and the fat and carb content is often very high indeed.

Milk chocolate - Milk chocolate is another example of a food that should only be consumed as a little treat now and then, because it does tend to taste pretty nice. Milk chocolate contains milk, cream, and dairy produce which is already high in sugar. Combine this with the fact that the chocolate also contains fats and sugars, and you have a very unhealthy snack indeed. You can of course treat yourself now and then with a piece or two, but a bar or two is asking for trouble.

By Andrew Jowett