'"Carbohydrates" is a name that is brought up a lot in the weight loss world, but do you truly understand what they are? Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products. They’re the primary source of energy for your body, and are usually referred to as “quick energy” because the body tends to use carbs right away. Carbs tend to be separated into either “good” or “bad” carbs. Generally, simple carbohydrates are the ones to avoid. Simple carbohydrates are composed of easy-to-digest, basic sugars. These basic sugars tend to be naturally occurring in items such as fruit and milk. However, these simple carbs can also come as refined sugars; these are the ones to look out for. Refined sugars/simple carbs are present in foods such as soda, candy, cookies, pastries, desserts, sweetened beverages, energy drinks and ice cream. Carbohydrates also come as complex carbs. Complex carbohydrates contain longer chains of sugar molecules, which usually take more time for the body to break down and use. These molecules provide your body with a longer and more consistent amount of energy. Nutrient dense complex carbs are much healthier for you. Some examples are whole wheat breads, pastas, and flour, brown and wild rice, barley, quinoa, potatoes, corn, legumes, such as black beans, chickpeas, lentils, and others. Even though some carbs may be great in nutrition, our diet call for a great reduction in carbs. In order to lose weight, you’ll need to cut out carbs to make sure your body isn’t burning through those, and instead of fat.