Types of Carbohydrates: Complex and Simple carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are generally not fattening, it's how you eat them that does the damage. Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for your body. When they are digested, the sugars they contain are broken down into glucose. Glucose or blood sugar is the fuel our bodies run on. The glucose circulating in the bloodstream after a meal is available for instant use. Excess glucose is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver, ready to be used when needed.

Complex and Simple Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates should make up 45 - 65% of your daily calorie consumption; most of it should come from complex carbohydrates. Complex, unrefined carbohydrates are essential for health; because complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly by your body causing you feel full longer. They also supply more than just energy; they're also loaded with essential nutrients and are rich in fiber for efficient digestion. Refined or processed carbohydrates have lost most of its nutrients and fiber content. White flour, for instance, contains less zinc, needed for natural immunity and brain function; less magnesium, required for the nervous system and bone-building; and much less body-building protein. The same happens to processed (white) rice and corn, while white sugar provides nothing but empty calories. Brown sugar and honey at least contain traces of some key nutrients, and honey is excellent source of protective antioxidants.

Sources of Complex Carbohydrates: Cereals and grain such as wheat, rye, corn, oats, rice, peas, beans lentils and starchy vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnip and carrots; and in milk sugar and honey.

Individuals who need extra carbohydrates: Physically active individuals, athletes, the elderly and people recovering from illness.

Danger of consuming excessive amount of highly refined carbohydrates: Candy bar is an example of highly refined carbohydrates, this provides sugars that are converted very quickly into glucose and that rapidly raise the blood-sugar levels. When blood sugar levels soar, the pancreas pumps out lots of insulin to counteract the effect, then you end up with hypoglycemia (a low blood sugar condition). When you eat lots of refined sugars for breakfast you will feel a sudden drop of energy in the middle of the morning, making you crave for more sugars more energy. Too much refined carbohydrates are the cause of some diseases like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as very disruptive behavior in children.

Why Individuals on low carbohydrate diet lose weight? The main reason low-carbohydrate diets help people lose weight is that they affect a person's blood sugar production level. When you reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat, your body doesn't produce as much sugar as a person who eats a high number of carbohydrates. Since your blood sugar level drops, your body uses fat stores for energy.

Complaints of Individual on a Low-Carbohydrate diet: A lack of energy is the most common complaint of low-carbohydrates dieters. Another complaint is that after two weeks of following a low-carbohydrates diet, you stop losing weight. This may be because your metabolism becomes slower since your body is already used on just digesting small amount of food another reason is you lose only water weight while on the diet.