Good carbs. Bad carbs. It can be challenging to make the best food choices for losing inches or maintaining a healthy weight. Learn the best and worst carbs for weight loss (and why)!

It’s common for all carbohydrates to get lumped into the “bad” diet food category. While some carbs lead to weight gain, others actually support healthy weight loss. Our bodies convert good carbohydrates into energy that fuels cells throughout the body, including those in the organs and muscles. Some carbohydrates occur naturally in foods like seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, and more. Others are added by food manufacturers to boost palatability in processed foods. So here’s the lowdown on which carbs help—and which ones hurt.