Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates (also known as slow absorption carbohydrates) are carbohydrates that produce satiety, precisely because our body takes longer to digest them.

The carbohydrates are certainly essential nutrients for our body, given that give us the energy our body needs every day to get going and stay active throughout the day, while feeding our nervous system.

Unfortunately, although they are considered essential nutrients, the truth is that dangerous weight-loss diets based exclusively on the consumption of proteins have proliferated today, with the evident risk that this entails for our health, since not taking enough carbohydrates Carbon every day can be dangerous to our health, since if we follow a diet high in protein, the so-called state of ketosis can appear, which causes fatigue, dizziness and even kidney disease.

Therefore, consumed in their proper measure and in their recommended daily amounts,  carbohydrates are nutrients that cannot be lacking in our daily diet.

But there are two very different types of carbohydrates: complex carbohydrates (or slow absorption), and simple carbohydrates (or fast absorption).

What are complex carbohydrates?

Complex carbohydrates are slowly absorbed carbohydrates, consisting mainly of disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Taking into account that through food, carbohydrates must be converted into glucose so that they can provide energy to the body, which are considered slow absorption carbohydrates means that before being absorbed they must be broken down into simple carbohydrates to that can be assimilated, which means that glucose molecules are released little by little so that blood sugar levels remain lower and stable for longer.

Why should we consume complex carbohydrates?

Mainly because our body is satiated for longer, not producing sudden imbalances in glucose levels.

For this reason simple carbohydrates are not advisable for people with diabetes.

In addition, since they cannot be absorbed quickly by the cells, they do not give rise to reserve fat, as is the case with simple carbohydrates.

Recommended amount of complex carbohydrates

Approximately 60% of the calories we consume daily must come from carbohydrates (30% from fat and 10% from protein).

So it is difficult not to realize the importance of these nutrients, hence they are considered essential as they participate in a large number of functions in our body, by providing us with energy, participating in saving proteins and regulating the metabolism of proteins. Fats.

Foods rich in complex carbohydrates

Although we already developed this section more extensively in a previous article dedicated exclusively to foods rich in complex carbohydrates, the following foods basically stand out:

• Integral rice
• Whole grains
• Vegetables
• Vegetables
• Wholemeal bread
• Fruits (such as strawberries, berries, or cherries)

It may also be useful to know some of the foods with a low glycemic index, since the rate of absorption of these foods will depend on their fat or fiber content, so the more refined they will have the higher the glycemic index.