A long chain of sugar molecules is called a carbohydrate. Complex carbohydrates have three or more sugar molecules. If there is less than that, it’s called a simple sugar. Simple sugars include things like table sugar and milk sugars.
Starches and fiber are the two main kinds of complex carbohydrates considered when talking about nutrition. Fiber is the indigestible part of a food made of a carbohydrate chain called cellulose. Even though it can’t provide energy to the body, it’s important because it is a part of natural foods, and thus the body is made for a certain amount of fiber to be in our diets. Starches are the digestible kind of complex carbohydrates that can be used by our cells as fuel.
Simple sugars provide energy, but have several downfalls when compared to complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are often less processed than their simpler counterparts, which is especially true when only considering fiber. Some simple sugars are found in nature– fruit sugar is a natural, simple sugar– but many are processed from foods that used to have fiber or starch.
Rapid blood sugar drops can make people feel sick or moody, and the way they are caused is usually by eating a large amount of simple sugars. This creates a large influx of sugar into the blood, because simple sugars are metabolized quickly. The blood sugar rise triggers large amounts of insulin, which instructs the cells to take up sugar. This can result in a rapid drop of blood sugar called a sugar crash.
The digestible form of complex carbs, starches, are slower to metabolize than simple sugars. They enter the bloodstream a little bit at a time, and thus don’t cause the same kind of sugar rush. They also don’t trigger the large amounts of insulin, and only more modest quantities are produced. This means that the sugar supply from starches to the cells is much steadier, with no huge highs or lows the way that can happen with simple sugars.
Generally, natural ingredients that are less processed have more complex carbs. Because of this, nutritionists advocate eating whole foods — brown rice, which is just rice with the hull left on, whole wheat flour, and even the peel on potatoes. When the hull of rice or wheat is removed to make white rice or flour, a lot of the fiber is removed with them. Vegetables are good sources of fiber, and some are also good sources of starches.
Fiber and starches are an important part of a healthy diet. Recommendations vary, but around half of your diet should come from carbohydrates, and the more of those that are complex carbohydrates, the better. Only a few of your carbs should come from simple sugars such as table sugars.
It is important that you understand why you need to get complex carbohydrates. We also want to show you a complex carbohydrates list that will help you out. So, what are you waiting for?
categories: Carbohydrates,complex carbohydrates,Diet,Diet food,health food