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Bodytalk
Question: What is the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates? Try to choose
wisely when it’s time
to go for the carbsAnswer: Let's take a step back and cover some nutrition basics before we look at the differences between simple and complex carbohydrates.
The three calorie-providing components of food are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Carbohydrates are by far the most abundant of the three. They are found in a very wide variety of foods.
For example, oranges, table sugar, potatoes, pies, bread, green peas, honey, biscuits, popcorn, non-fat milk, soda, candy, carrots and grapes are all rich sources of carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate means carbon dioxide combined with water. All carbs, minus any fiber they contain, are changed by our body into sugar (glucose), which is the body's basic source of fuel (energy).
Carbs and protein contain four calories per gram, whereas fat contains nine calories per gram. So fats provide more than twice as many calories, gram for gram, as do carbs or protein.
Most, but not all, carbohydrates come from plants. Fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes are all of plant origin. The only animal-based carbohydrates are dairy foods.
Now, to answer your question, simple carbohydrates are sugars.
For example, the sugars glucose and fructose come from fruits and some vegetables, lactose comes from milk and sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beets. Table sugar is pure sucrose.
Complex carbohydrates, which are chains of simple sugars, consist primarily of starches as well as the fiber found in all plant foods.
Complex carbs are foods such as grains, beans, potatoes, corn, bread and pasta.
Since carbohydrates, complex as well as simple, are broken down into glucose, why does it matter which carbohydrates we consume? Why isn't three ounces of soda the same as three ounces of whole wheat bread?
There are several reasons. Simple carbs provide very little in the way of nutrition, and they contain many empty calories. By contrast, the calories in complex carbohydrates provide many nutritional extras. That includes many important vitamins and minerals, not to mention disease-preventing phytochemicals.
The fiber in complex carbohydrates also has many healthful benefits. Soluble fiber lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure. And whole grains and other high-fiber foods tend to lower one's risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Finally, complex carbs are digested more slowly, and thus have a more modest effect on blood sugar levels.
It is overconsumption of simple sugars that is largely responsible for the current epidemic of diabetes.
It's also true that some complex carbs are better than others. For instance, white flour is considered a complex carbohydrate, but it's had the nutritional extras, such as the wheat germ and bran, removed. Whole grains are more nutritious than refined grains.
Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet, but choose wisely. Eat few simple carbohydrates and as few refined grains as possible.
Try to get your sugars from foods such as fruit or fruit juice.
Don't fill up on candy and soda, leaving no room for more nutritious carbohydrate foods.
Health Events
Stephenie Karony is a certified health
and fitness instructor, a personal trainer and the author of
"Body Shaping with Free Weights." Send questions to her at
P.O. Box 262, Wailuku Hi. Her column appears on Wednesdays.