Simple Carbohydrates
Simple sugars are usually added to low fat foods to give them flavor. Simple carbs are usually "empty" calories that don't have any nutritional value.
Simple carbohydrates are recognized by usually ending with "ose" such as:
- Glucose and fructose (from fruit)
- Lactose (from dairy)
- Table sugar sucrose (from cane or beet sugar)
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates include starch, a form of carbohydrates that plants store, and fiber, the mostly undigested part of the plant.
Foods that contain complex carbs include:
- Grains - oats, whole wheat, brown rice
- Breads
- Pasta
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains are not only more nutritious, they are digested more slowly and are less likely to cause a rush of glucose.
- White flour and white rice are complex carbs but they've had all of the fibrous goodies stripped out.
- French fries are made from nutritious potatoes, but deep frying them in oil ruins any complex carb goodness.