Healthy carbohydrates are key to maintaining a balanced, energetic lifestyle. Learn to distinguish between simple and complex carbohydrates to optimize your natural health.
Healthy Carbohydrates
The carbohydrates, carbohydrates o saccharides (from the Greek σάκχαρ, «sugar») are biomolecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen y oxygen, whose main functions in living organisms are to provide immediate and structural energy.
Carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides y polysaccharides.
The monosaccharides They are the simplest carbohydrates because they are composed of molecules of the same type. The best-known ones are glucose (sugar), fructose (found in fruits), and galactose (found in dairy products).
When Two monosaccharides bind together are made up of the disaccharides or disaccharides. The most common are sucrose (table sugar, composed of one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose), lactose (milk sugar, composed of one molecule of galactose and one molecule of glucose), and maltose (a disaccharide formed by two glucose molecules).
Composed of chains of 2 to 10 monosaccharides They are called oligosaccharides y from 10 and up Monosaccharides are called polysaccharides (starch, glycogen).
The Role of Carbohydrates:
Carbohydrates perform various functions, including providing energy and serving as structural components.
Energy-Providing Carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides and disaccharides, such as glucose, act as biological fuels, providing immediate energy to cells—energy that is essential for maintaining muscle activity, body temperature, blood pressure, proper bowel function, and neuronal activity. In addition to providing immediate energy to cells, carbohydrates also serve as a reserve energy source for cells.
Structural carbohydrates: Some polysaccharides form very strong skeletal structures.
Nutrition:
The nutritionists and dietitians previously classified the simple carbohydrates (monosaccharides and disaccharides) or complexes (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides).
Simple carbohydrates:
Simple carbohydrates are simple sugars with a chemical structure consisting of one or two sugars; they are refined sugars that are digested quickly and they have very little nutritional value because they do not contain enough essential nutrients, so it is advisable to limit your intake to small amounts. The consumption of simple carbohydrates is not recommended, especially for people with diabetes.
Some foods high in simple carbohydrates:
Foods that contain simple carbohydrates include table sugar, products made with white flour, honey, jam, candy, cakes, cookies, chocolate, fruits and fruit juices, soft drinks, milk, yogurt, and packaged cereals. Of all these, choose fruits as the most beneficial.
Complex carbohydrates:
Complex carbohydrates have a structure composed of three or more sugars, which are usually linked together to form a chain. These sugars are mostly rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and because of their complexity, They take longer to digest, so they raise blood sugar levels just as quickly as simple carbohydrates, and they serve as the body's fuel for producing energy.
Some foods rich in complex carbohydrates:
Complex carbohydrates are commonly found in vegetables such as spinach, green beans, broccoli, and zucchini, as well as in whole grains and legumes such as lentils and beans.
The Difference Between Simple Carbohydrates and Complex Carbohydrates:
Complex carbohydrates contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which have a higher nutritional value than simple carbohydrates, which contain refined sugars and very few vitamins and minerals.
Simple carbohydrates are digested very quickly, while complex carbohydrates take longer to digest.
If we consume more carbohydrates of any kind than we need for immediate use, the excess is stored in the liver or converted into fat and deposited in the tissues for future use.
The Top 10 Carbohydrates We Can Eat:
By focusing our diet on carbohydrate-rich foods that provide nutrition without raising our blood sugar levels, we can stay healthy. (Low Glycemic Index)
The Top 10 Foods Rich in Healthy Carbohydrates: – Beans – Legumes – Chickpeas – Cherries – Citrus fruits – Barley – Wild rice – Buckwheat (or buckwheat) – Apricots – Plums – Melons It’s amazing!! We’ll feel so much better when we replace highly processed foods with foods from this list.
