I read that a carb is a carb and if it fits your macros then don’t worry. But then I also read that sugar is terrible for you and you should eat complex carbs because of blood sugar levels. Whats this all about? Blood sugar, glucose, insulin, and diabetes? Can someone ELI5?
In: Biology
Depends on your goal.
>Calorie consumption?
A carb is a carb.
>Nutritional benefit?
A carb is a carb
>Feeling of satiation?
Carbs differ significantly.
Different sugars, carbs and other starchy molecules are handled differently by your body.
Some carbs, like Glucose or Sucrose (table sugar) are processed very quickly by your body, allowing a nearly immediate spike in your blood sugar. This is great if you need a burst of energy, but not so great if you want to feel full all afternoon.
More complex carbohydrates take longer to break down, they’re still the same calories per gram (or near enough) but they release that energy slowly.
This comparison is known as the glycemic index and compares the effects of sugars to glucose in terms of how quickly they increase your blood sugar. “High GI” carbs increase it quickly for a short time, “low GI” carbs increase it by a little over a long time.
Other carbs, like Fructose, don’t directly increase blood sugar – meaning they don’t satiate your appetite at all in the short term- but are later repurposed into sugar storage, meaning they still increase body fat and cause other issues. This is why high fructose foods are often very “moreish” and also terrible for your health
Rule of thumb is this:
If you want a burst of energy, or to fix hypoglycemia, use a high GI sugar.
If you want to feel full and maintain a daily percentage of carbs, use a low GI carb.
Latest Answers