"Higher calorie carbs like bread/pasta/garbage food are usually looked at as bad carbs because they
are high in fat content, longer to digest, and easy to overeat on them."
Bread and pasta are mainly composed of carbs and do not contain a lot of fat. Fat doesn't make you fat nor is it "bad", your body needs fat to help absorb certain nutrients. Many people eat healthy and lose/maintain weight successfully on high fat, low carb diets. You *want* carbs that take longer to digest, not the other way around. Carbs that digest quickly like pasta/bread (simple carbs like foods high in sugar and low in fiber) cause insulin spikes which leave you feeling hungry again shortly after and cause cravings and energy depletion.
There's quite the difference in how a bowl of Lucky Charms is going to make you feel when compared to a bowl of whole grain oats in the morning. The first would leave me jittery, hyper and burn away quickly causing a insulin crash where I'd be more tired, irritable and hungry again which would lead to me craving another bowl to boost my insulin levels again. The second is less likely to cause a huge insulin spike and the energy it provides me with will not cause a surge of energy that depletes quickly. Instead, it will release energy slower and I will stay satisfied longer and not experience the "crash" that the bowl of Lucky Charms gave me because whole grain oats have a higher fiber vs. sugar content.
Higher calories does not equal "bad" carbs either. Sweet potatoes and bananas tend to be higher calories, whole grains and legumes have a high calorie content but they also contain a lot of nutrients, vitamins, antioxidents, fiber and protein. The same applies to fat. Fat has nearly 2x the amount of calories per gram as carbs and protein yet monounsaturated fats and omega 3s are essential and healthy. Oils like those found in nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, fish, chicken, eggs, plants, etc.
When comparing food I prefer *not* to put labels like "good" or "bad". It isn't so black and white and I don't apply guilt to the food I eat. I just try to choose more nutrient dense foods to make up most of my diet. As far as carbs are concerned I try to get plenty of veg, legumes, fruit, dairy, whole grains over food that contains less nutrients per calorie count and added sugars/sodium/preservatives like your pastas and breads. Does that mean pasta and bread never have a place in my diet? No, they just make up a small part of it. I have a serving of whole grain bread once a day and not a big pasta person so I eat it maybe a few times every couple months and use less than a serving size.
To keep it simple, when choosing carbs you want higher fiber and low on added sugar. Carbs by name you'd want to limit or omit from your diet include; white flour and high sugar breakfast cereals (other heavily refined grains), pastries, cakes, cookies, donuts, soda, candy, etc.
Carbs you want to include more of in your diet; whole grains, legumes, lentils, vegetables, fruit, low fat dairy. Of course individual exceptions may apply.
