What are carbohydrates ?

Hello guys, welcome back to my blog and hope you had a good weekend. FYI, This will be one of  my last posts, as I'm back to work at Ripped Supplements after a long holiday. I wont be writing as many articles as I would like to, but if you do have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as I can. Now, in this article I'm going to explain a bit further on what carbohydrates are.

Carbohydrates are composed of 3 basic atoms, which are carbon, oxygen and hydrogen, arranged as monosaccharides or multiple monosaccharides. They serve a primary role in assisting the body with energy and brain function. If used properly, carbohydrates can be a great tool in your weight gain and weight loss goals, but use it improperly and carbohydrates can become your worst nightmare in putting on un wanted body fat. So how can carbohydrates be used in an effective manner?

Firstly, an individual needs to know the difference between simple carbs, complex carbs and fibrous carbs, by understanding what these are, he is then able to use these carbs wisely in assisting him in his fitness goals.

Simple Carbs are made up into 3 different areas. These include glucose, fructose and galactose. Although you do not need to know their chemical structure, you do however need to know that simple carbs do raise blood sugar quite significantly and causes the body to have a quick energy surge followed by a crash. Which means your body will be beaming with energy for a short period of time followed by tiredness and lethargy, as the body tries to regulate blood sugar levels back to normal . A side effect which is synonymous with simple carbs.
Below, I have complied the different types of food where simple carbs can derive from.

Glucose based food sources include: White bread, table sugar aka sucrose, most soft drinks, jasmine rice, bagels, white potatoes, cream of rice, white pasta, cream of wheat, corn, polenta, etc..

Fructose based food sources include: Bananas, oranges, apples, melons, pineapples, carrots, pumpkin, etc..

Galactose based food sources include: Most milk based products such as milk, ice creams, etc. Galactose is also known as milk sugar.

Simple carbohydrates are an important tool to be used after weight training, as it helps with glycogen replenishment, recovery and delivering nutrients to the body at an optimal rate.

The next topic will highlight on what a complex carbohydrate is.

Complex carbs are made of a few monosaccharides strung together as polysaccharides. Although the chemical structure is not important, you however do need to know that, complex carbohydrates are the preferred choice  for athletes because they do not raise blood sugar levels like simple carbohydrates do, but instead it gives the athlete a steady release of energy throughout the day. This in-turn, doesn't cause the body to get tired or lethargic. Below I have compiled the different types of food where complex carbs can derive from;

Complex carbohydrates based food sources: Whole grains, brown rice, sweet potatoes, yam, oats, rye, wholemeal bread, quinoa, kumra (if you from NZ), brown basmati rice, etc.  

The final part of this article will focus on fibrous carbs. Fibrous carbs are often described as non-starch polysaccharides. therefore it passes through the body without little or no energy being used up. Fibrous carbs are also unique, because they are the only form of carbohydrates which does not raise blood sugar levels i.e. insulin but instead they help you burn calories quite effectively. In my opinion, fibrous carbs must be part of anyone's diet, simply because they aid in digestion, protect the heart and its walls, lower cholesterol and glucose levels respectively, furthermore they promote bowel movements which is vital for detoxification and waste removal from the body. Below I have compiled a list of foods which are rich in fibrous carbs;

Fibrous carbs based food source: broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, cos lettuce, spinach, bak choy, kai lan, broccolini, brussel sprouts, green beans, snow peas, egg plant, zucchini, cucumber and most green leafy vegetables.

So there you go guys, hope this article will help you understand carbohydrates a little better. Be sure to make the right choices and attaining your goals will be a breeze. Till then, have a great day and
stay safe.

*This article was summarised with the help of "understanding nutrition" by Ellie Whitney and Sharon R Rolfes. 11th Ed. 2008 Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, Belmont CA, 94002*.