We’ve already talked in detail about carbs, whether they’re “bad” or the key to losing weight. If you have not yet read that post, I recommend starting here. Now that we understand more about carbs, let’s talk about types of carbohydrates there are, what kind of foods contain carbs, and which ones to include in your diet. For the sake of simplicity, I am not going to be overly scientific with the following information, I am just going to break down the information into easily understandable key points.
What types of food will contain carbohydrates?
Most of the foods we regularly eat and consume will contain carbohydrates or at least trace amount of it. Carbohydrates can be found in the more obvious food sources like breads, pasta, rice, oats, cereals, pastries, cakes etc., but they can also be found in fruits, vegetables, some dairy products, condiments, beverages, and sauces. Carbohydrates will not be found in pure fat or pure protein sources such as olive oil, butter, chicken, eggs, or beef.
What types of carbohydrates are there?
While most carbohydrates we consume will all end up as glucose in our bodies, different types will be digested in different ways. We can break down carbohydrates into two main categories simple and complex.
Simple (or more processed/refined carbohydrates) will be broken down and digested quickly, but they may not keep us full or satiated for very long. Simple carbohydrates usually are not very nutrient dense, meaning they contain more sugar/sodium. Examples of simple carbohydrates would be juice, candy, or donuts.
Complex carbohydrates typically tend to come from more nutrient dense whole food sources. Complex carbohydrates can help us stay full and more satisfied for longer, because of the nutrients and fiber (want to know more about fiber – click here) they may contain. Examples of complex carbohydrates are fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
What type of carbohydrates should I eat?
A balanced diet can include both simple and complex carbohydrates. Personally, I would recommend eating more complex carbohydrates than simple. Eating a variety of complex carbohydrates in your diet will help keep you full and help keep your bowels regular. There are also far more essential nutrients in complex carbs. Does that mean you shouldn’t eat any simple carbohydrates? No! You can absolutely still eat them! Just be mindful that you won’t feel as full or satisfied, but anything in moderation is totally acceptable.
The key takeaways.
All carbohydrates (no matter the type) will be converted into glucose for the body to use as energy. There are two main types of carbohydrates simple (refined/processed) and complex (fruits or vegetables). Balanced diets can include them both!
