Carbs - Part 1 - what are carbs?

Carbohydrates or 'carbs' cause a lot of confusion; from those looking to lose weight to those who are training for a competition.

I'm hoping this week I can simplify carbs for you all and make your choice of carbs a little easier!

So first of all, what are they?

In their simplest form, carbohydrates are 2 part hydrogen and 1 part oxygen (similar to water)

Carbohydrates are sugars or starches, these are then broken down into:

- Glucose -- a 'simple' sugar which contributes to the energy required for living and this is present in many 'carbs'

- Fructose -- another 'simple' sugar that is found in fruit and veg and this is the 'sweet' taste that comes from these fruits and veg.

- Crystallinefructose -- This is a processed sugar to imitate the natural fructose but the process is so unnatural that is is deemed bad for you.

So with you now thinking, what the hell? imagine this...

Your body needs carbs for energy, carbs are broken down into sugars, however some sugars are better for you than others.

All the things above are described as 'simple' so i just described 'simple carbs' and contain one or two sugars - things like your white rice, honey, jams, fruit juice and a few others.

There is another type of carbs, known as 'complex carbs' and these consist of 3 or more sugars and a generally consist of a higher fibre content.

Examples of complex carbs would be:

Kidney beans, brown rice, corn, pretty much all fruit and veg, salads and a whole lot more!

If you are going to eat carbs complex would be ideal! as a few benefits of them are:

Keeping the body fuelled for a longer period of time - but as there are more sugars, it takes longer to digest!

They digest better - as they absorb better in the intestine the digestive tract works more efficiently and allows for you to feel a lot better!

As a result, you won't store as much sugar as it will be used productively! so, you will lose weight!

Finally, you can lower your bad cholesterol (info on cholesterol to come) and this is always good for your heart and overall health!

#carbs