@poorgradstudent, when I referred to carbs I was mainly focusing on refined carbs such as white bread, white rice and corn flour. Yes, you are right that complex carbs take more energy to break down but by contrast we consume a much larger quantity and also more frequently than an equivalent portion of fruits and vegetables.
In small portions nothing is that detrimental but have you seen an American portion size lately? LOL!
The French Paradox highlights this phenomenon actually – the French diet is what would be considered unhealthy but their portion sizes are highly regulated.
Actually I have seen people drinking 2 glasses of Orange Juice quite frequently – they get 1 glass and then go for refills.