Complex carbs

smadag1

Can someone tell me what complex cards are?
I am not sure if they are good or bad.

smadag1

Can someone tell me what complex cards are?
I am not sure if they are good or bad.

meaganrh

Simple carbs are things like sugar, candy, refined flour... Fatty, Junky Foods!

Complex carbs are more natural, whole grains, vegetables, fruits...

So Complex Carbs are better for your body overall, more nutritious and packed with vitamins and minerals!

make sense?

MTGirl

Complex carbs are good - they have nutrients and fiber and digest slower than simple carbs. Some examples of complex carbs are:

whole grain breads/tortillas/wraps etc.
vegetables
fruits
brown and wild rice

Simple carbs digest really easily and spike your blood sugar:

white bread
white rice
candy bars
regular soda

If you have blood sugar issues, you would have to watch your intake of any carb - but complex carbs are certainly healthier!

JustAmy

CARB BREAKDOWN, I found this online, thought it very helpful!:bigsmile:

RULE 1: Include the following in your diet:
Fruits: 2-4 servings daily
Vegetables: 3-5 servings daily
Whole grain breads, muffins, bagels, rolls, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereal, and brown rice: 6-11 servings daily
Legumes, beans and peas: 1-2 servings daily
Low-fat and non-fat dairy products: 3 servings daily

RULE 2: Limit the following to less than 2 servings daily:
Fruit Juice
Refined and processed white flour products (bread, muffins, bagels, rolls, pasta, noodles, crackers, cereal)
White rice
French fries
Fried vegetables

RULE 3: Eliminate the following from your diet or eat only on occasion:
Sugary desserts, cookies, cakes, pies, candies
Doughnuts and pastries
Chips, cola and carbonated beverages
Sugar, honey, syrup, jam, jelly, molasses

MisoSoup79

Rather than breaking your carbs simply into "simple" and "complex" categories, you should consider "processed" a separate category. I say this because most fruits are actually comprised primarily of simple carbs, and many vegetables are comprised of both simple and complex carbs. Honey is a simple carb, but if you eat it raw and in very small quantities, it has the ability to soothe sore throats, help relieve morning sickness and stomach upset and many other beneficial attributes. Simple carbs are turned into energy more quickly than complex carbs.

Processed carbs are simple carbs, too... but they do not provide nutritional benefits like fruits do. Processed carbs include white flour, white rice, white pasta, table sugar and sweet treats and candies.

My point is, it's not correct to say simple carbs are bad and complex carbs are bad as if it is a black and white statement. You need some of both, but you should avoid processed carbs whenever possible.