Diet Programs Today

Sugar molecules of complex carbs are longer chains than in simple carbs which means they take longer to break down, or digest. There are two kinds of complex carbs: starchy or fibrous. Starchy carbs are rice, beans, pasta, wheats, grains, and potatoes. Vegetables are fibrous carbs. The indigestible portion of plant material, fiber, has a low calorie count, and keeps the digestive process running clean and healthy.

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The effect foods have on your blood sugar levels is measured by the Glycemic Index (GI). A high glycemic index value means that food will raise the blood sugar level faster than a low glycemic index value.

Thinking simply about carbohydrates it may seem that complex carbohydrates digest slowly, and that simple and refined carbohydrates digest quickly causing a spike in blood sugar. Recent research has indicated that there is more to this story. It is not as simple as just simple vs complex or refined vs natural.

I values are on a scale of 1 to 100 with the high value being pure glucose. Many carbohydrate-rich foods have been tested for glucose levels. A value of 50 means that the food will affect blood sugar on a level that is equal to half that of glucose.

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