When it comes to carbohydrates it can be confusing, right? There’s no doubt that carbohydrates are the most difficult macronutrient to get your head around, but once you do it will make everything A LOT easier. You might have heard of complex carbs, that sugar is a carb, and glucose…is that the same as sugar, and what is a simple carbohydrate exactly?
When it comes to carbohydrates it can be confusing, right? There’s no doubt that carbohydrates are the most difficult macronutrient to get your head around, but once you do it will make everything A LOT easier. You might have heard of complex carbs, that sugar is a carb, and glucose…is that the same as sugar, and what is a simple carbohydrate exactly?
Carbohydrates are like long chains of sugar all linked together. When we digest them, our body breaks them down into individual chain links of sugar to absorb them. Once the sugar is absorbed, your blood sugar level goes up. All types of carbohydrates break down to glucose; even if it takes longer to digest, the glucose is still going to end up in your bloodstream.
Glucose is also known as sugar. You’ll often hear people talk about sugar even when they might be talking about things like rice or bread. Or they might refer to them as carbs. Glucose, sugar and carbs are essentially all the same thing.
Sugars are not only found in the obvious things like candy bars, ice-cream, and pastries, but you’ll also find it hidden in bread, salad dressings, ketchup, and table salt.
Apart from the obvious sugars found in junk food, when it comes to watching our sugar intake, we also have to be aware of natural sugars like lactose (milk sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar), as well as refined grains, and starchy vegetables, such as white potatoes.
All sugars are carbohydrates which are converted by the body into glucose and then used for fuel; however some are obviously better for us than others.
Carbs are found in:
Glucose is also known as sugar. You’ll often hear people talk about sugar even when they might be talking about things like rice or bread. Or they might refer to them as carbs. Glucose, sugar and carbs are essentially all the same thing.
Sugars are not only found in the obvious things like candy bars, ice-cream, and pastries, but you’ll also find it hidden in bread, salad dressings, ketchup, and table salt.
Apart from the obvious sugars found in junk food, when it comes to watching our sugar intake, we also have to be aware of natural sugars like lactose (milk sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar), as well as refined grains, and starchy vegetables, such as white potatoes.
All sugars are carbohydrates which are converted by the body into glucose and then used for fuel; however some are obviously better for us than others.
Carbs are found in:
- Grains
- Beans / Legumes
- Vegetables
- Milk
- Breads
- Cereals
- Soda
- Sweets / Desserts
- Yogurt
- Fruits
- Sugar (honey, maple syrup, white sugar, brown sugar, etc)
Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbs, sometimes referred to as refined carbs, are short chains of sugars, which means they absorb quickly into the bloodstream without much need for digestive processing. You’ve probably felt the effects of eating some chocolate or having a soda.
Simple sugar is often what we reach for to get fast energy, and that’s what it does, gives us fast energy, because it uptakes quickly into the bloodstream providing that immediate energy. Although that might sound like a good thing, these are the type of carbohydrates that are going to make it difficult for you to regulate blood sugar and lose weight. Your blood sugar will spike only to come crashing down like a roller coaster ride. Avoid anything white like flour, sugar, rice and potatoes.
Avoid or limit these simple carbs:
Simple carbs, sometimes referred to as refined carbs, are short chains of sugars, which means they absorb quickly into the bloodstream without much need for digestive processing. You’ve probably felt the effects of eating some chocolate or having a soda.
Simple sugar is often what we reach for to get fast energy, and that’s what it does, gives us fast energy, because it uptakes quickly into the bloodstream providing that immediate energy. Although that might sound like a good thing, these are the type of carbohydrates that are going to make it difficult for you to regulate blood sugar and lose weight. Your blood sugar will spike only to come crashing down like a roller coaster ride. Avoid anything white like flour, sugar, rice and potatoes.
Avoid or limit these simple carbs:
- White bread
- White flour bagels / muffins
- White pasta
- White flour crackers / pretzels
- Potato chips
- Instant rice / potatoes / noodles (ramen)
- Instant oatmeal or quick oats
- Breaded / battered foods
- White flour cake / cookies
- White flour pastries / pies
- Donuts / candy bars
- Sauces / condiments
- Soft drinks / energy drinks / fruit juices
- Jam / jelly
- Ice cream
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are longer chains of sugars (glucose) known as polysaccharides – glycogen, starches, and fibre. The difference between a simple carb and a complex carb is how quickly it is digested and absorbed.
Complex carbs have to be processed which takes longer to enter the bloodstream. They also contain fibre which slows down digestion and absorption of glucose which keeps your blood sugar levels stable.
Choose these complex carbs every day:
Complex carbohydrates are longer chains of sugars (glucose) known as polysaccharides – glycogen, starches, and fibre. The difference between a simple carb and a complex carb is how quickly it is digested and absorbed.
Complex carbs have to be processed which takes longer to enter the bloodstream. They also contain fibre which slows down digestion and absorption of glucose which keeps your blood sugar levels stable.
Choose these complex carbs every day:
- Whole grains
- Brown rice, wild rice
- Oats
- Whole grain pasta
- Whole grain bread, crackers
- Beans / Legumes
- Lentils
- Whole grain muffins
- Whole grain flour pancakes, waffles
- Vegetables
- Coconut flour, almond flour
- Quinoa
- Nuts / Seeds
- Fruits
- Whole grain cereals
Glycemic Index / Load
Some foods can make your blood sugar shoot up very fast. Remember that simple carbohydrates are easier for your body to change into glucose than more slowly digested carbs like those in vegetables and whole grains.
The glycemic index gives you a way to tell slower-acting "good carbs" from the faster "bad carbs." We can use the Glycemic Index to help determine which foods will have the biggest impact on our blood sugar levels and being able to lose weight.
Glycemic Index (GI) measures how fast and how much a carbohydrate food raises blood sugar levels. High GI foods break down rapidly causing a huge spike of sugar into the bloodstream followed by lots of insulin release. Low GI foods slowly break down allowing sugar to trickle gradually into the bloodstream limiting insulin release. The smaller the number, the less impact the food has on your blood sugar. You want to aim for values lower than 60.
Low GI (55 or less)
Medium GI (56 to 69)
High GI (70 or higher)
Glycemic Load (GL) takes into consideration both the glycemic index of a food and the amount of carbohydrate in the portion of food eaten. The glycemic index does not consider the portion of food, but glycemic load (GL) does. The GL takes the glycemic index of a food and considers its common serving sizes to give a more practical indicator of the effect of that food on blood glucose. The glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index value by the number of grams of carbohydrate, then dividing by 100.
GL = GI x carbohydrate / 100
Calculating the glycemic load (GL) can provide an even more accurate picture of what that food will do to your blood sugar. You want to aim for values lower than 15.
Low GL: 0 to 10
Medium GL: 11 to 19
High GL: 20 and over
You can download glycemic index apps on iTunes or Google Play or buy books with all the current values in it. You can also go to glycemicindex.com to do a quick search on a specific food. This can help you choose foods wisely.
Some foods can make your blood sugar shoot up very fast. Remember that simple carbohydrates are easier for your body to change into glucose than more slowly digested carbs like those in vegetables and whole grains.
The glycemic index gives you a way to tell slower-acting "good carbs" from the faster "bad carbs." We can use the Glycemic Index to help determine which foods will have the biggest impact on our blood sugar levels and being able to lose weight.
Glycemic Index (GI) measures how fast and how much a carbohydrate food raises blood sugar levels. High GI foods break down rapidly causing a huge spike of sugar into the bloodstream followed by lots of insulin release. Low GI foods slowly break down allowing sugar to trickle gradually into the bloodstream limiting insulin release. The smaller the number, the less impact the food has on your blood sugar. You want to aim for values lower than 60.
Low GI (55 or less)
Medium GI (56 to 69)
High GI (70 or higher)
Glycemic Load (GL) takes into consideration both the glycemic index of a food and the amount of carbohydrate in the portion of food eaten. The glycemic index does not consider the portion of food, but glycemic load (GL) does. The GL takes the glycemic index of a food and considers its common serving sizes to give a more practical indicator of the effect of that food on blood glucose. The glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index value by the number of grams of carbohydrate, then dividing by 100.
GL = GI x carbohydrate / 100
Calculating the glycemic load (GL) can provide an even more accurate picture of what that food will do to your blood sugar. You want to aim for values lower than 15.
Low GL: 0 to 10
Medium GL: 11 to 19
High GL: 20 and over
You can download glycemic index apps on iTunes or Google Play or buy books with all the current values in it. You can also go to glycemicindex.com to do a quick search on a specific food. This can help you choose foods wisely.
I hope this helps give you a better understanding of carbohydrates!