Carbohydrates (or carbs, for short) are a type of macronutrient—nutrients your body needs in large amounts. Many foods contain carbohydrates, including fruits, grains, legumes, and vegetables.1 Your body uses carbohydrates for energy, digestive health, and blood sugar control.
You’ve probably heard that some types of carbohydrates are healthier than others, and that complex carbohydrates should be preferred over refined or simple carbohydrates.
But what exactly are complex carbohydrates, and how are they different from other carbohydrates?
Here’s everything you need to know about complex carbohydrates, including what they are, how they differ from simple carbohydrates, and how to incorporate more into your diet.
What is the difference between modest and complex carbohydrates?
All carbohydrates comprise sugars such as glucose, fructose, and galactose. Carbohydrates are divided into categories based on the number of sugar units they contain.
National Library of Medicine. Physiology, Carbohydrates.
There are two main types of carbohydrates: humble and complex.
Simple carbohydrates are made up of just one or two sugars, while complex carbohydrates are made up of several sugar units.
Simple Carbohydrates
Monosaccharides are the humblest and minimum kind of sugar, made up of just one sugar part. When you eat carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into monosaccharides to be digested and used for energy.
There are three main monosaccharides:
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Galactose
Disaccharides are made up of two monosaccharide units joined together.
There are three key disaccharides:
- Sucrose (glucose + fructose)
- Maltose (glucose + glucose)
- Milk sugar (glucose + galactose)
Simple sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose originate in some foods, including healthy foods like fruits and dairy products.
However, many less healthy, highly processed foods contain a lot of simple sugars, such as high-levulose corn syrup and table sugar. Some samples of foods and drinks high in modest sugars include candy, soda, sugary cereals, and ice cream.
Meek sugars are easily absorbed by the body, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar and the release of the hormone insulin from the pancreas. In addition, foods rich in simple carbohydrates, such as candy, soda, and sugary baked goods, are high in calories but low in essential nutrients, such as fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. For this reason, a diet containing too many simple carbohydrates can increase the risk of developing sicknesses such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates, or polysaccharides, are made up of three or more sugars linked together, making them difficult for the body to break down. Because they take longer to digest, complex carbohydrates cause a sluggish rise in blood sugar than simple carbohydrates.
There are three main polysaccharides:
- Starch
- Glycogen
- Fiber
Starch and fiber are polysaccharides found in food, while glycogen is found only in our bodies. Glycogen is the storing form of carbohydrates in animals and humans. We use the glycogen stored in our muscles and liver for energy.
Starches and fiber are concentrated in fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains. Unlike starches, fiber is not digested by the body. Instead, they promote digestive health by stimulating the beneficial bacteria in your gut and keeping your bowel movements comfortable and regular.
Associated with people who eat a lot of simple carbohydrates, people who eat diets high in fiber-rich complex carbohydrates tend to have lower rates of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and colon cancer. Plus, fiber helps you feel full, so persons who eat a high-fiber diet tend to have less body fat than those with low fiber intakes.
28 Complex Carbohydrate Foods to Eat
Replacing simple and refined carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits, and beans is an easy way to improve your health. Luckily, there are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from. Here are some samples of healthy complex carbohydrates to add to your diet.
Whole Grains
Whole grains contain all three shares of the grain — the germ or core, the endosperm or middle layer, and the tough outer layer called the bran. These parts contain essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Refined grains, on the extra hand, have had the bran and germ detached, making them less nutritious.
Here are some delicious, whole grains to try:
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Brown rice
- Millet
- Farro
- Buckwheat
- Brown rice
Legumes
Legumes, such as beans and lentils, are complex carbohydrates containing fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant protein.
Diets high in legumes have been shown to protect against diseases such as certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and digestive disorders.
Here are some examples of legumes to add to your diet:
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
- Black beans
- Beans
- Cannellini
- Peas
- Pinto beans
- Starchy vegetables
All vegetables contain carbohydrates, but some are higher in starch than others. If you’re looking for healthy, carbohydrate-rich vegetables, try these:
- Sweet potatoes
- Potatoes
- Butternut squash
- Beets
- Acorn squash
- Squash, gourd
- Parsnips
Fruits
Fruits are some of the best complex carbohydrates you can eat. Not only are they sweet, but they’re also loaded with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant-protective compounds.
A 2022 study found that in 2019, only 12.3% of U.S. adults met the optional daily eating of 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit. Not eating enough fruit can negatively impact your health and increase your risk of certain diseases, especially if you eat processed foods instead of fruit.
To make sure you’re getting enough fruit each day, try count some of the following to your diet:
- Blueberries
- Apples
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Peaches
- Mangoes
- Strawberries
Simple Carbohydrate Foods to Edge and Avoid
Eating a diet low in healthy carbohydrate bases like fruits and vegetables but high in simple carbohydrates like added sugar and white bread may be bad for your health.
Diets high in foods rich in additional sugar, like candy, soda, and sugary cereals, are particularly problematic. High intake of added sugar has been linked to poor blood sugar control, high triglycerides, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and many other health hitches.
For overall health, you should limit your intake of added sugars and refined carbohydrates that have been stripped of nutrients.
At a Glance
Complex carbohydrates are firmer for the body to break down and cause a smoother rise in blood sugar than simple carbohydrates.
Foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as beans, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other helpful mixes that support your health.
Swapping out simple carbohydrate sources like soda, white bread, and sugary breakfast cereals for more nutritious multifaceted carbohydrates can help improve the quality of your diet and reduce your risk of sure chronic diseases.