Carbohydrate enriched foods

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Carbohydrates are more easily accessible energy source for our body. It is recommended that about 60 percent of total daily calories come from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are converted into glucose which is either used directly to provide energy for the body, or stored in the liver for future use. Carbohydrates are the main source of blood glucose, which is a major fuel for all of the body's cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red blood cells. When a person consumes more calories than the body is using, a portion of the carbohydrates consumed may also be stored in the body as fat.
All carbohydrate foods are not essential for better health management – some are very detrimental to health and weight management and some are very useful for good nutrition and for ultimate well being.

So it’s essential to know the differences.

Bad Carbohydrates increase insulin secretion in pancreas resulting diabetes, heart disease and overweight – even obesity. Good Carbohydrates are necessary for healthy and attractive appearance – proving an essential part of proper nutrition.

There are 2 types of Carbohydrates – Simple and Complex.

Simple carbohydrates contain naturally occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit (fructose), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (milk sugar) as well as several other sugars.
Simple carbohydrates (simple sugars) can rapidly be converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream very soon after consumption. After drinking a sugary cup of tea, for example, you may notice a sudden increase of energy level and an accompanying lift in your mood. However, too much intake especially over a period of many years can lead to a number of disorders, including diabetes and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Yet another problem is that foods high in refined simple sugars often are also high in fats, which should be limited in a healthy diet.
List of some natural foods made up of mostly simple carbohydrates. These foods are low in simple sugars and do not promote weight gain.


Apples
Blackberries
Blackcurrants
Cherry
Cranberries
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Lemon
Melon
Oranges
Peach
Pear
Plum
Raspberries
Strawberries

The list below shows some food products that contain a large percentage of simple carbohydrates. Foods containing lots of added table sugar can also be added to the list. These foods contain lots of added sugar and most are high in calories. These foods should be limited to lose weight.

Table sugar
Cakes
Biscuits - plain
Jam
Chocolate
Fudge
Candy
Toffee
Gums
Boiled sweets
Mint Sweets
Liquorice
Honey
Soft drinks
Tinned fruits
Chutney
Pickle
Puddlings - some

Complex carbohydrates are also made up of sugars, but the sugar molecules are strung together to form longer, more complex chains. Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, potatoes, peas, and beans.

Complex carbs are broken down into glucose more slowly than simple carbohydrates .
As a result your blood sugar levels will not fluctuate as rapidly as they do when digesting simple carbohydrates. It thus provide a gradual steady stream of energy throughout the day.

Complex carbohydrates are often also lower in fat and provide higher amounts of other essential nutrients like dietary fiber. It is for the above reasons that a diet of complex carbohydrates is preferable.

The food list below shows many natural complex carbohydrate foods that are frequently used to produce food products or meals. Most foods or products that contain a large portion of these staple ingredients are usually a good high complex carbohydrate source. The best way to provide the diet with complex carbohydrates is to consume foods in their most natural state such as oatmeal, bran and brown rice.


Bran
Wheatgerm
Barley
Maize
Buckwheat
Cornmeal
Oatmeal

The food list below shows good sources of complex carbohydrates.

Pasta
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Brown rice
Potatoes
Other root vegetables
Wholemeal breads
Granary bread
Brown bread
Pitta bread
Bagel
Wholegrain cereals
High fiber breakfast cereals
Porridge oats
All bran
Wheetabix
Shredded wheat
Ryvita crispbread
Muesli
Cassava
Corn
Yam
Oatcakes
Peas
Beans
Lentils

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