Simple and complex carbohydrates: what is the difference, the list of products

Carbohydrates are nutrients necessary for the body to function properly. They saturate us with energy. However, eating these elements with food, we do not always think about how this can affect our body. The fact is that there are simple and complex carbohydrates that can affect our body in different ways.

Why do people need carbohydrates

These nutrients provide the human body with the necessary energy. Their deficiency can not only provoke a decrease in vitality, but also cause a general decline in strength and immunity, frequent depression, weakness, drowsiness, and rapid fatigue.

Carbohydrates are necessary for normal brain activity. They are the building material for the production of other substances, including immunoglobulins. However, simple and complex dietary carbohydrates, which do not have time to be fully used by the body, lead to increased cholesterol and their subsequent conversion into fat accumulations.

Varieties of carbohydrates

All the necessary nutrients we use are absorbed in different ways in the human body. So carbohydrates by the method of splitting are divided into fast (simple) and slow (complex).

The first group includes monosaccharides and disaccharides. The basis of these substances are glucose and fructose. They have a lighter structure, so they are easily absorbed by the body.

Complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides. The breakdown of complex carbohydrates is slow, so they are sometimes called that. They consist mainly of starch, glycogen, fiber and cellulose. After eating food in which such compounds are present, a feeling of satiety remains for a long time.

Which carbohydrates are complex and which are simple

Complex carbohydrates are long molecular chains that do not have time to break down to glucose. The assimilation of such compounds is not accompanied by an increase in blood sugar and does not cause a feeling of hunger for 3-4 hours.

Foods containing complex edible carbohydrates are primarily unprocessed cereals, most vegetable crops and bread products made from wholemeal flour. Such products should be present in the daily menu of each person: in the morning - cereal, at lunch - a vegetable salad or a side dish of cereals, in the evening - stewed or baked vegetables. At the same time, one must not forget about the mandatory presence of protein components.

Simple carbohydrates are foods that are easily and quickly digested, and since they are made up of glucose, the body rises in sugar levels. The cleavage process begins already in the mouth, under the action of saliva enzymes. Therefore, literally in 30-40 minutes you will again want to eat. Simple carbohydrates are found in sugary foods, honey, bakery and confectionery products made from refined white flour, dairy products, fruits and some vegetable crops.

Fruit secret

Fruits and dried fruits can be devoted to a separate topic. As you know, they have a huge amount of fructose. But fructose is the basis of fast carbohydrates, so the logical question arises as to whether our body needs them. Of course! The fact is that Mother Nature combined simple and complex carbohydrates in these wholesome fruits.

In addition to fructose, they contain complex fiber and pectins, as well as vitamins and minerals, which can never be abandoned. Complex fiber does not allow simple carbohydrates to be fully absorbed. Therefore, it is enough to reduce the consumption of sweet fruits to 200 grams, and dried fruits - to 50 grams per day in order to maintain the optimal balance in the body and not gain excess weight.

Delicious foods: potatoes and pasta

Potatoes and pasta still cause controversy among losing weight. It is known that potatoes are a huge amount of starch, and pasta is made from refined flour. However, the behavior of these products in the human body sometimes does not justify the specifics of the carbohydrates that make up their composition. Still, what carbohydrates in potatoes are complex or simple? And why from pasta do not always gain weight?

It turns out that the point is the method of preparation and the form of presentation of these products. So, for example, baked or cooked in their uniform potatoes will not do any harm, while fried or mashed potatoes can affect the appearance of extra centimeters in the waist. The same goes for pasta. The combination with butter or a fatty patty will certainly not be useful, but adding dietary meat or low-fat cheese to them will keep the figure normal.

What is the glycemic index

Glycemic index (GI) - the rate of breakdown of carbohydrates contained in any product, before the formation of glucose. These indicators are summarized in special tables of simple and complex carbohydrates, which are vitally important for people suffering from diabetes mellitus. It is very important for them to keep a record of carbohydrates that provoke changes in hemoglobin levels.

However, today, when compiling the correct diet, these data are widely used by healthy people. It is known that products containing simple and complex carbohydrates have different digestion rates. The lower the GI, the slower the food will be absorbed, which means that such food will be good for health and body.

According to these tables, the low GI is up to 39, the average is from 40 to 70, and what is higher is considered high GI. Foods that have a low glycemic index can be eaten without restriction. Dishes belonging to the middle group of GI should be consumed sparingly. Those products in which the glycemic index is high, it is better to limit or completely eliminate.

GI in diets

The technique, based on the calculation of the glycemic index, has a lot of advantages. People, based on these data and an understanding of what relates to complex carbohydrates and what refers to simple carbohydrates, compose their diet on the principle of proper nutrition. At the same time, the work of all body systems is being established, and the metabolic process is accelerated. The main difficulty in observing such diets is the constant adherence to special tables.

However, even here some contraindications to health are possible. Therefore, before moving on to this optimal system, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

Simple and complex carbohydrates: a list of products that we need and do not need

Surely, in many diets for weight loss it is recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed, many have heard. As already mentioned, fast carbohydrates harm the figure, that is, those substances that the body quickly processes, turning them into glucose, and then into body fat. They were brought into special tables of simple and complex carbohydrates so that everyone could choose a certain type of food for themselves. For convenience, we give an example in the form of a list of products:

The principle of healthy eating

If the final step in taking carbohydrates is weight loss, as well as the prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, then you can use the universal technique proposed by the French doctor Montignac. It consists of two stages: weight reduction to a certain value and subsequent consolidation of the result.

To achieve the desired effect, the intake of carbohydrates should be as small as possible. Therefore, at the first stage, it is recommended to eat what relates to complex carbohydrates, i.e., foods with low GI values. This will contribute to weight loss.

At the second stage of the Montignac diet, the process of stabilization of weight occurs. Here, the diet can become a little wider. However, the limitations of high-carb foods remain.

Healthy Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner Are Essentials for Wellness

According to the recommendations of the author of the French methodology, it is important to start your day correctly. Complex carbohydrates for breakfast are an essential element of a healthy diet. The first breakfast should contain cereals, fruits, low-fat lactic acid products - all this for a long time eliminates the feeling of hunger and normalizes the digestive process. In the second breakfast (light snack) protein ingredients should be present.

For lunch, you should eat not too fatty foods, consisting of proteins and lipids. It can be: vegetable soups, fish and poultry meat, eggs. The diet should not be sausages, canned foods and convenience foods. It is advisable to include solanaceous vegetables, legumes and greens in the daily menu.

Dinner must be light. It may consist of proteins and carbohydrates, but it must be eaten before 19 hours.

In the Montignac diet, there are whole schemes for a varied diet with gentle changes in the diet. Here, a person does not experience severe restrictions and at the same time loses weight for 1-3 months. Many people for life remain supporters of such a technique and use a list of foods (simple and complex carbohydrates) recommended by the world famous doctor to compile a daily menu.

Nutrition Tips

There are many diets based on the calculation of carbohydrates in food consumed. They require constant reconciliation with the developed tables, and this is not always convenient. To simplify this process, not to get confused in terms and not refuse your favorite dishes at the same time, you can use some tips from nutritionists:

• Almost all vegetables are very healthy. They can be consumed in unlimited quantities, preferably in raw or baked form.
• Fruits, like vegetables, can be eaten unlimitedly. The exception in this case will be bananas, persimmons, grapes, watermelons and melons.
• Potato is a product that requires special attention. The best option for its use is boiled in its uniform and cold. Young baked potatoes also contain a minimal amount of carbohydrates and are very beneficial for the body.
• Pasta will not harm the body if it is made from durum wheat. It is possible to use without harm to the figure, but only in limited quantities.
• White polished rice is not recommended. It is better to replace brown and brown varieties.
• The bread used in the diet should only be whole grain, bran or wholemeal.
• Dietary meats, fish, fat-free lactic acid products should be present in the diet. However, protein foods should not be dominant.

Simple carbohydrates cannot be considered absolute evil. They significantly increase the level of glucose in the blood only with an increase in the recommended norms. A little sweet will not hurt if you use it in moderation. It is best to combine high glycemic foods with low glycemic foods, then the sugar level will increase slowly.

Finally

The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is obvious. However, it is the fast ones that give true pleasure and enjoyment, so it is very difficult to completely exclude them from your diet. Extra pounds will not be deposited in problem areas if you maintain the ratio in the daily menu: 90% complex carbohydrates + 10% simple. And remember that only fast carbohydrates with fat can be worse than fast carbohydrates, but this is a separate issue.