Carbohydrates are found in a lot of foods, however, there are good carbs and bad carbs. Carbohydrates are broadly split into two types: sugars which are known as simple carbohydrates and starches which are known as complexed carbs.

Simple Carbs (Sugars)

Simple carbohydrates occur naturally in foods, for example, simple sugars are found in their natural form like milk, however, simple carbs can also be added to processed foods. For example sodas, pies, cookies, cereals and juices all contain simple carbs and these should be avoided. This is because they produce a spike in your blood sugar levels and also do not contain any nutritional value. You should only be getting 10% of your daily calories from these types of simple carbs.

Complexed Carbs (Starches)

Complexed carbs digest slower, as a result of this, they give you a sustained amount of energy which is slowly released over a longer period of time. Within complexed carbs, there are also many other food components too. These include vitamins, minerals, protein, fibre and water. This makes complexed carbohydrates the ideal way to get most of our energy from. A diet which consists of mostly complexed and natural carbohydrates can protect us against certain diseases and will help to maintain optimal health. Bread, pasta, rice, noodles, some breakfast cereals, porridge oats, crackers and starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, yams are mainly composed of complex carbohydrates.

Are carbohydrates good for you?

As previously stated, carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy, providing you are eating the correct type of carbohydrates. You can eat a bowl of chips or a salad made up of spinach, carrots, tomatoes and kidney beans. Both options contain carbohydrates, but the second side is a lot healthier as it contains whole grains and vegetables. You can also make a sandwich on white bread or you can choose to make it with 100% whole grain bread. We all know that brown bread is better for you, but why?

Complexed carbohydrates can be broken down further into two categories: refined and unrefined. Refined grains have been removed from their natural state and have had the bran and germ extracted from them. Refined grains are processed by companies to improve and prolong the shelf life of the product. However, although this may be beneficial to the supermarkets, it has a huge impact on the nutritional value of the food. Processing foods remove the fibre, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats and oils which our bodies need.

• Bread: Many loaves of bread found in supermarkets are considered refined carbs. They are often made with bleached flours and will therefore not contain the same amount of vitamins and minerals as 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread will have.
• Rice: Once again rice is sold in both its natural state (unrefined) and refined state. Brown rice will contain its original grain whereas white rice has been stripped and doesn’t contain the same nutritional value.
• Cereals: Most cereals contain a lot of simple sugars and have been processed. Therefore, you should opt for porridge oats or whole grain cereals to ensure you are getting a good amount of nutrients.
• Pasta: This to can be brought in in either state. Whole wheat or whole grain pasta contains a lot more fibre and the B-complex vitamins rather than processed refined white pasta has.