If you’ve ever tried a new diet, many of them focus on carbohydrates. Carbs are found in almost all foods, but what’s important to know is that not all carbs are created equal. Your body is affected by the types of carbs you’re consuming and in general there are two types—simple and complex. Here’s everything to know about carbs so you can determine what kind of diet to follow.
Simple Carbs
Simple carbs are known as sugar and they’re made up of up to two sugar building blocks connected in a chain. The building blocks can be glucose, fructose, or galactose. They’re broken down easily and digested and absorbed into the bloodstream quickly. Some foods that are high in simple carbohydrates include sweeteners (table sugar, syrup, and honey), candy, jellies, and refined flour. Fruits, vegetables, and beans also have simple carbs in addition to vitamins and minerals.
Complex carbs are starch or fiber and they’re made from three or more sugars connected in a chain. Complex carbs often contain fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. They take a longer time to break down resulting in a more gradual insulin response and they’ll keep you feeling full longer. Bread, pasta, rice, beans, whole grains, and vegetables are all high in complex carbs.
In general, it’s best to choose carbs from nutrient-dense sources and to eat more complex carbs than simple carbs. It’s recommended to eat vegetables, nuts, beans, seeds, 100% whole-grain breads, and brown rice. When consuming complex carbs, try and eat fewer ones from refined sources because the nutrients are removed from them. In regards to simple carbs, eat them in moderation as they are considered “empty calories” because they are high in calories and contain every few micronutrients. Fruits and milk are an exception to the rule as they have lots of vitamins and minerals.
