Simple and Complex Carbohydrates

I've been taking a bootcamp lately, and my awesome instructor has sent me some great informative links and recipes to help understand and help facilitate our weight loss.

Here is some information about simple and complex carbohydrates that might help you better understand which they are and which we should eat more of.

For the whole article, check it out at How To Think

Here are some key parts that I found useful:

Carbohydrates are necessary to your health, because every cell in your body uses them for energy. In fact, your brain can only use carbohydrates for energy.

Complex carbohydrates are high-fiber foods, which improve your digestion. They help stabilize the blood sugar, keep your energy at an even level, and help you feel satisfied longer after your meal.

In contrast, sugar and other simple carbohydrates can alter your mood, lead to cravings and compulsive eating, cause wide swings in your blood-sugar levels, and cause weight gain in most people. In addition, a high consumption of sugar can lead to uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when you finally decide to improve your diet and forgo the sweets.

Some examples of healthy foods containing complex carbohydrates:

• Spinach Whole Barley Grapefruit
• Turnip Greens Buckwheat Apples
• Lettuce Buckwheat bread Prunes
• Water Cress Oat bran bread Apricots, Dried
• Zucchini Oatmeal Pears
• Asparagus Oat bran cereal Plums
• Artichokes Museli Strawberries
• Okra Wild rice Oranges
• Cabbage Brown rice Yams
• Celery Multi-grain bread Carrots
• Cucumbers Pinto beans Potatoes
• Dill Pickles Yogurt, low fat Soybeans
• Radishes Skim milk Lentils
• Broccoli Navy beans Garbanzo beans
• Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower Kidney beans
• Eggplant Soy milk Lentils
• Onions Whole meal spelt bread Split peas

Simple carbohydrates are more refined, are usually found in foods with fewer nutrients, and tend to be less satisfying and more fattening.

• Table sugar
• Corn syrup
• Fruit juice
• Candy
• Cake
• Bread made with white flour
• Pasta made with white flour
• Soda pop, such as Coke®, Pepsi®, Mountain Dew®, etc.
• Candy
• All baked goods made with white flour

Most packaged cereals