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Carbs are somewhat of a buzzword in today's world. They generally get a bad rap, and sometimes for good reason. However, all carbs are NOT created equal. There are two main types of carbohydrates that individuals consume: simple carbs and complex carbs. Now before we get into the difference between the two, I think it’s important that we understand what a carb is and what its used for in the body. A carbohydrate is a sugar, starch, or fiber that is found in the food that we eat. It is the main macronutrient that is used as a fuel source within our bodies, fat and protein follow respectively. Now that we know what carbs are used for we can begin to break down the two different kinds.
Simple Carbohydrates
A simple carb gets its name, well because it is simple. The type of sugar that makes up a simple carb either has one or two molecules and is easily broken down by the body. Simple carbs generally show up in the form of some sort of processed food. However, there are exceptions. Items such as strawberries and milk are considered simple carbohydrates due to the type of sugars that they are made of. Although simple carbs are generally thought to be cereals, crackers, bread, white rice, candy, pop (soda if you're weird), etc. Simple carbs that have been processed are generally high in refined sugars and overconsumption often leads to unnecessary weight gain. They often spike insulin levels due to their ability to be burned quickly and processed simple sugars often have very little nutritional value. However, some simple carbs can play a critical role in individuals diets. Due to their ability to be metabolized quickly, it is smart to consume a simple sugar after a hard workout to replenish the glycogen stores of the muscles that you just exhausted. Now, this isn’t a pass to consume candy and pop, but rather an opportunity to give your body clean fuel in the form of white rice. Now simple carbs show up in healthy and unhealthy forms, but they are not forbidden! The main thing to remember when consuming simple carbohydrates is moderation!
Complex Carbohydrates
Much like the simple carb, the complex carb gets its name from...its complexity. The sugar that makes up a complex carb has three or more molecules and which takes longer to break down once inside our bodies. Complex carbs typically are higher in starches and fiber. Some starches that are found in complex carbs are called resistant starches. Resistant starches struggle to be broken down by the body and this causes the starches to ferment within our stomachs. As bad as this sounds, it is actually great for creating healthy gut bacteria and improving digestion. Resistant starches can be found in unripe bananas as well as potatoes that have been cooked and then reheated a few times. Complex carbs also show up as things like beans, sweet potatoes, nuts, etc. These carbohydrates also do not spike insulin levels due to the slow break down of the carbohydrate. These types of carbohydrates should be the main type of carb that is consumed within a diet. They bolster many more nutrients and minerals, and overall have a much better impact on our bodies. After reviewing what two different types of carbs are and what roles that they play in our bodies ,there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is to stay away from processed carbohydrates. While usually delicious, they have little to no nutritional value. The second, and arguably most important, is moderation. Once the max amount of carbs that your body can store has been reached, carbs begin to store as fat. Be mindful of this and focus on eating clean and healthy carbs!
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