Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below Im not getting the difference between complex and simplex carbs. This may be a dumb question but what is the difference. I thought that it had to do with glycemic index and the rate in which they are absorbed. This is what i thought untill i found out that potatos are more glycemic than sugar. please someone help im really confused. list of glycemic indexs at http://www.healthchecksystems.com/glycemic.htm
Complex and Simplex carbs, and GI
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sawastea
Well-known member
much better list:
http://optimalhealth.cia.com.au/gi17.html
Carbohydrate -- Chemical compound of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, usually with the hydrogen and oxygen in the right proportions to form water. Common formsare starches, sugars, cellulose, and gums. Carbohydrates are more readily used for energy production than are fats and proteins. One of the three basic foodstuffs (proteins and fat are the others). Carbohydrates are a group of chemical substances including sugars, glycogen, starches, dextrins, and cellulose. They comprise the body's main source of raw material for energy. They contain only carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Usually the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2:1. Carbohydrates can be classified as either a simple carbohydrate or a complex carbohydrate.
Digested carbohydrate enters the circulatory system in the form of monosaccharides, primarily glucose. Lesser amounts of fructose and galactose are also absorbed, but these are eventually converted to glucose in the liver. Before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream, polysaccharides and disaccharides must be broken down into monosaccharides by specific enzymes during the digestive process.
There are several types of carbohydrates, some better than others. Starch, sugar, dextrose, are all types of carbohydrates. The three main categories of carbohydrates are:
Monosaccharides (one-sugar molecule)
Disaccharides (two-sugar molecules)
Polysaccharides (three or more sugar molecules)
Monosaccharides and disaccharides are commonly called sugars, while polysaccharides are called complex carbohydrates or glucose polymers. Some of the more commonly encountered carbohydrates in these three categories include the following:
Monosaccharides: Glucose, fructose, sorbitol, galactose, mannitol, mannose.
Disaccharides: Sucrose = glucose + fructose
Maltose = glucose + glucose
Lactose = glucose + galactose
Polysaccharides: Starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen; all of which are made of chains of glucose (glucose polymers, maltodextrins).
Fibers: Fibers are mainly the indigestible complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) that make up plants cell walls; cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and a variety of gums, mucilages, and algal polysaccarides.
Complex carbohydrates -- Foods of plant origin consisting of 3 or more simple sugars bound together. Also known as polysaccharides. The starch in grains is an example. Compared to monosaccharides (refined carbohydrates such as table sugar and white flour products), complex carbs require a prolonged enzymatic process for digestion and thus provide a slow, even and ideal flow of energy. This avoids fluctuations in glucose (blood sugar) levels which can affect energy. Complex carbs contain fiber and many nutrients.
Simple carbohydrates -- Simple carbohydrates are monosaccharides and disaccharides occurring naturally in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Some examples of simple carbohydrates are glucose, galactose, and fructose, all of which are monosaccharides and, sucrose, lactose, and maltose, all of which are disaccharides.
http://optimalhealth.cia.com.au/gi17.html
Carbohydrate -- Chemical compound of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, usually with the hydrogen and oxygen in the right proportions to form water. Common formsare starches, sugars, cellulose, and gums. Carbohydrates are more readily used for energy production than are fats and proteins. One of the three basic foodstuffs (proteins and fat are the others). Carbohydrates are a group of chemical substances including sugars, glycogen, starches, dextrins, and cellulose. They comprise the body's main source of raw material for energy. They contain only carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Usually the ratio of hydrogen to oxygen is 2:1. Carbohydrates can be classified as either a simple carbohydrate or a complex carbohydrate.
Digested carbohydrate enters the circulatory system in the form of monosaccharides, primarily glucose. Lesser amounts of fructose and galactose are also absorbed, but these are eventually converted to glucose in the liver. Before they can be absorbed into the bloodstream, polysaccharides and disaccharides must be broken down into monosaccharides by specific enzymes during the digestive process.
There are several types of carbohydrates, some better than others. Starch, sugar, dextrose, are all types of carbohydrates. The three main categories of carbohydrates are:
Monosaccharides (one-sugar molecule)
Disaccharides (two-sugar molecules)
Polysaccharides (three or more sugar molecules)
Monosaccharides and disaccharides are commonly called sugars, while polysaccharides are called complex carbohydrates or glucose polymers. Some of the more commonly encountered carbohydrates in these three categories include the following:
Monosaccharides: Glucose, fructose, sorbitol, galactose, mannitol, mannose.
Disaccharides: Sucrose = glucose + fructose
Maltose = glucose + glucose
Lactose = glucose + galactose
Polysaccharides: Starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen; all of which are made of chains of glucose (glucose polymers, maltodextrins).
Fibers: Fibers are mainly the indigestible complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) that make up plants cell walls; cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and a variety of gums, mucilages, and algal polysaccarides.
Complex carbohydrates -- Foods of plant origin consisting of 3 or more simple sugars bound together. Also known as polysaccharides. The starch in grains is an example. Compared to monosaccharides (refined carbohydrates such as table sugar and white flour products), complex carbs require a prolonged enzymatic process for digestion and thus provide a slow, even and ideal flow of energy. This avoids fluctuations in glucose (blood sugar) levels which can affect energy. Complex carbs contain fiber and many nutrients.
Simple carbohydrates -- Simple carbohydrates are monosaccharides and disaccharides occurring naturally in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Some examples of simple carbohydrates are glucose, galactose, and fructose, all of which are monosaccharides and, sucrose, lactose, and maltose, all of which are disaccharides.
heregothere
New member
think of it carbs like wood and your body as a furnace.
high gi carbs (sugars, etc) will burn quickly and don't give you very long lasting fuel, but are good for short bursts.
low gi carbs (green vegetables, oatmeal, etc) burn slowly and give you long lasting fuel.
high gi carbs (sugars, etc) will burn quickly and don't give you very long lasting fuel, but are good for short bursts.
low gi carbs (green vegetables, oatmeal, etc) burn slowly and give you long lasting fuel.
Many people use potatos or rice as complex carbohydrates for a healthy diet. But according to the GI list, boiled white potato GI=90 is the same as a Coca-ColaGI=90 and not that much better than plain table sugar=93. What my point is, that people should not be looking at sugar contents or complexity of their carbohydrates. one sould rather look to GI. Either way, if you are splitting your carbs up every 2 hours i dont think that the GI will make much of a difference. Its only when u have a large ammount, and plan to have it sustain you for a long time that GI comes into play. Someone correct me if i am wrong.
