What are complex carbohydrates?

If you have read some of my previous posts, you must have an idea of what carbs are, they are basically the primary source of your body's energy. If you don't take carbs, it would become extremely hard to survive the day, especially if you have a lot of work to do. A human body, like every other piece of machinery, needs fuel to function properly, and that fuel is carbs.


Protein, carbs, and fats are macro nutrients that could serve as a source of energy, but carbs come first on the list of preferred fuel for your body because it's what they are supposed to do. If your body is using protein as energy, it means you are breaking your muscle mass which is not good, and if your body is using fats as energy, it means you are losing body fat which is not a good thing for a fit person, and a temporary thing for a person who wants to lose weight (topic for another post).

After eating carbs, your body then works to break those carbs into glucose which gets stored in glycogen. From there, you draw the energy to function.

The real problem arrives when we get to know there are 2 types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Simple is a big no no, and complex is too hard to follow.


Difference between simple and complex carbohydrates

• Simple carbohydrates (fast digesting carbohydrates/ bad carbs)

Simple carbs mean carbohydrates with very little or no amount of dietary fiber and starch present in them. Some examples of those are pizza, soda, white rice, white bread, street food, etc.
They get converted into glucose quickly, which spikes the blood sugar levels (insulin) and later makes them crash  The sudden spike and crash in blood sugar levels done for a long period of time will make your body vulnerable to diabetes.
These are fast digesting carbs which generally get stored in fat, because they are so fast, that all will get converted into glucose, your glycogen will get full, creating an excess of energy.
That is exactly why you should minimize your sugar consumption, it is a simple carbohydrate. But, don't run away from fruits, they have natural sugar with a good amount of fiber.

The only time you should consume simple carbs is right after your intense workout so that they digest quickly to replenish your burnt energy, that is the time when your glycogen is almost empty. Workout lowers blood sugar levels and eating simple carbs will bring those levels up to normal. Don't think you can eat a pizza though, I not talking about having a cheat meal, just simple carbs (like white rice) with lean protein is what you need.

• Complex Carbohydrates (slow digesting carbohydrates/ good carbs)

Those carbohydrates which are high in dietary fiber and starch are known as complex carbohydrates. They are slow digesting carbohydrates, meaning, the body will take time to break them down into glucose. This way, the glycogen won't get full in one shot like it does in the case of simple carbs. By taking longer time to absorb, complex carbs supply continuous energy for a longer period of time, at the same time, giving the body time to simultaneously burn that energy.

The longer it takes to absorb the carbs, the better because that way the blood sugar levels do not spike and crash like they do when you consume simple carbs. Diabetics are recommended to not consume simple carbs and prefer complex carbs for this very reason.
Some examples of complex carbohydrates are Oats, brown rice, brown bread (made from 100% whole wheat), sweet potato, etc.

Benefits of Complex Carbohydrates:
Apart from making sure, you don't get diabetes in future, complex carbohydrates also have other benefits:

• You will stay energetic

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it should a heavy meal. By heavy meal I mean a meal having complex carbs, proteins, and essential fats. As you now know that complex carbs supply slow and continuous energy to the body, you will less likely to experience a lack of energy. Try eating oats(complex carbs), peanut butter (for protein and fats), extra virgin olive oil (for fats), fruits, nuts(for protein and fats), egg whites (for protein), whey protein, etc for breakfast. Combine some of these and make your own meal, try different things till you find your perfect breakfast.

• You will lose that extra weight

Replacing your simple-carb meals with complex-carb meals is the first and foremost thing any gym trainer or a nutritionist will recommend if you want to lose weight. The amount of fiber present in complex carbs play a crucial role in burning that stubborn fat. Simple carbs are absorbed by the body too quickly that you don't get time to burn that energy, resulting in fat. So, if you consume complex carbohydrates, you will stay full for a longer period of time, you will simultaneously burn the energy you get, and you won't get those cravings for junk food either.

• Reduce the risk of Diabetes

People are likely to get diabetes if it runs in their family. This is a serious concern for those who don't have diabetes yet but their parents do. This is, in fact, one of the reasons I want to make sure that our country knows what risks they are putting their children in to, by not having a good nutrition. What health problems you have, you are passing them on to your children unknowingly.
Consuming complex carbs instead of simple carbs can be a miracle for those who are vulnerable to diabetes. Of course, you can still enjoy an occasional pizza, but every human being should look after his/her eating habits to stay healthy.

For those who don't have a risk of diabetes, try to avoid simple carbs on a daily basis to keep things that way. A person who eats simple carbs every day eventually becomes vulnerable to diabetes down the road.

• Improves Digestion/ Avoid Hemorrhoids 

This is not new, we all know fiber helps to improve digestion of food. But, what you may not know is, by not having adequate fiber, you are exposing yourself to the risk of hemorrhoids (piles).
Hemorrhoids occur when the body finds it difficult to move the waste through the intestines and put pressure on them. As a result, veins become inflamed and are forced to move on the outer side, causing bleeding and discomfort.
Bottom line: Your waste movement should be smooth, which requires you to eat adequate quantities of fiber every day.

Pro Tips:

1. Do not filter your wheat flour, that husk you throw away is the fiber which should be consumed along with wheat.

2. Filtered husk is called bran and is available online, you can order wheat bran to add to your meals and increase their fiber content.


Share this post with someone who needs to rethink about his/her eating habits, not only for themselves but for the health of their unborn children.

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