Men prepare bread at a bakery in Cairo March 12, 2013. The Egyptian pound has lost more than 8 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since the end of December as concern deepens about the state of the economy, which is being undermined by political
Men prepare bread at a bakery in Cairo March 12, 2013. The Egyptian pound has lost more than 8 percent of its value against the U.S. dollar since the end of December as concern deepens about the state of the economy, which is being undermined by political instability and rioting. Annual consumer inflation in Egyptian cities leapt to 8.2 percent in February from 6.3 percent in January, reaching the highest level since May last year. Food and drink prices rose 9.3 percent year-on-year last month. Picture taken March 12, 2013. To match Feature EGYPT-FOOD/ REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Health and fitness experts have always recommended lowering the intake of carbohydrates in one's diet. It is often that you would hear about the low carb, high protein diet. Incomplete information and partial knowledge of facts are dangerous, so here are a few misconceptions that have been clarified for a better knowledge about carbs and their importance in a diet.

Carbs are bad for health

Carbohydrates are not always bad. There are good carbs, that are the complex carbs and, then there are carbs that are not very good for health, they are the simple carbs. Simple carbs are candy bar, soda and all baked items and they cause weight gain but complex carbs like fruits and beans have a lot of nutrition in them. Lisa A. Reed, fitness expert, trainer, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and owner of Lisa Reed Fitness LLC told Medical Daily that no doubt consuming a large amount of carbs cause weight gain but they are nutritional. Fibrous carbs like beans and asparagus are good for health.

It is bad to consume carbohydrates after a workout

It is not true that carbs after a workout are bad for health. According to Medical Daily, it is the intensity of your workout that actually determines how essential simple carbs are after your diet. Chris Weiler, performance expert to athletes and author of the nutrition book, The 3/4 Rule - How to Eat as An Athlete, told Medical Daily that it's best to indulge in simple carbs after a workout but in small quantities. He recommends having fruits.

Omitting just bread, pasta, cereal and rice from your diet makes it a low carb diet

Huffington Post reports that these are not the only foods that contain carbohydrates. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products and nuts have carbohydrates too. Jenny Giblin, a therapist, and certified nutrition coach featured on the "Dr. Oz Show" explained that the main cause of weight gain is sugar and not carbs. Jenny based on her personal experience states that you need to look not just at the carbs in the labels but the source of "sugar, artificial flavoring, and artificial sweeteners to avoid an increase in sugar cravings."

Cereals are healthy and good for the heart

Cereals contain sugar and fat, states Huffington Post. According to the site one bowl of cereal is equal to consuming four to six slices of bread. It also increases your appetite and you tend to eat more later in the day.

It's best to educate yourself about carbohydrates and the way it acts on your body before following any diet scheme

For questions/comments regarding the article, you may email the writer at richardson.samantha18@yahoo.in.