What are Simple and Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important to your health, because your body uses them for energy.  But over-consumption of sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and other highly refined carbohydrates has been associated as the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, obesity and even breast cancer. Learn some of the most common forms of simple and complex carbohydrates to make good food choices when planning your meal.

Simple and complex carbohydrates

Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are made up of long chains of sugar which takes longer to break down and allows energy to be released slowly and gradual. Whole grains, beans, legumes, and starchy vegetables are all examples of complex carbohydrates. They are often rich in fiber, this makes it satisfying and excellent for good health. Complex carbohydrates are commonly found in whole plant foods and are often high in vitamins and minerals.

Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are basic, short-chained groups of sugars. All simple carbohydrates are made of just one or two sugar molecules. They are the quickest source of energy and they digest quickly. Examples of simple carbs are:

Table sugar
Corn syrup
Fruit juice
Candy
Cake
Bread made with white flour
Pasta made with white flour
Soda pop, such as Coke and Mountain Dew
Candy
All baked goods made with white flour
packaged cereals

Getting the Best Carb-Rich Foods

The best kind of carbs are those that won’t raise your blood sugar quickly. Complex carbs fill you up because they are digested more slowly than other types of foods and are rich in fiber, this triggers a feeling of fullness in both your brain and your belly. Fiber can help you avoid overeating. It have also been discovered that fiber can bind with cholesterol in the digestive tract, this helps lower blood cholesterol. Choose whole, unprocessed foods from plant sources.

The following foods are Good sources of Complex Carbs:

Green vegetables
Whole grains and foods made from them, such as oatmeal, pasta, and whole-grain breads
Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, and pumpkin
Beans, lentils, and breadfruit.

If you are trying to eliminate simple sugars and carbohydrates from your diet, here are tips to follow:

When buying packaged foods, check food labels for the word “wholegrain” and make sure that ingredients such as corn syrup sugar, sucrose, fructose, white or “wheat” flour or any other simple carbohydrates doesn’t appear among the ingredients on the list.

Whole fruit is safe when it comes to healthy carbs. Avoid fruit canned in syrup as well as frozen and dried fruit with added sugars. Limit the amount of fruit juice you drink because it’s packed with sugar.

Simple carbohydrates, like sugar and corn syrup, are made in a factory – while complex carbohydrates in vegetables and whole grains are natural grown food that can  help you maintain good health.