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Complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber take longer to break down than simple carbs. This means you'll expend more energy and calories to burn them than what you would burn for simple carbohydrates. Regular consumption of complex carbs often results in weight loss rather than weight gain. Hence, complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber are considered the healthiest carbs.
Types of carbohydrates
- Simple carbohydrates:
- Sugars are a type of simple carbohydrate and can be found naturally in fruits and vegetables, but “added sugar” can be found in refined grains and processed foods.
- Simple carbs can cause rapid fluctuations in your sugar levels because they are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream. This can cause you to crave more carbs and, in the long run, lead to weight gain.
- Complex carbohydrates:
- Long chains of sugar molecules make up complex carbohydrates.
- Because they take longer for your body to digest and break down for energy, these carbs keep you fuller for longer.
- Starches and fiber are a type of complex carbohydrate.
- Dietary fiber:
- Dietary fiber is a lengthy chain of sugar molecules, similar to complex carbohydrates, but it's indigestible, which means your body can't break it down for energy.
- It assists to keep your digestive system functioning smoothly while making you feel full, and is frequently found in foods that contain complex carbohydrates.
What are the 14 best carbs for healthy eating?
The following are the fourteen healthiest complex carbs with high dietary fiber and low simple sugars, which boost energy levels and aid in weight loss, without sacrificing your health.
- Barley: It not only is healthy but also works as an appetite suppressant and provides numerous health benefits, including reduced inflammation, blood sugar stabilization, and help feeling lighter right away. It is a bulking agent that can aid in the passage of waste through the digestive tract.
- Whole wheat pasta: Whole wheat pasta is brown (not white) and is better because it is nutrient-dense and fiber-filled. There are lentils, chickpeas, brown rice, black beans, or quinoa-based pasta in addition to whole grain pasta.
- Whole wheat bread: It is a type of bread that is made from whole grains and contains all three portions of the grain, plus fiber to improve satiety and reduce overeating, just like with whole wheat pasta.
- Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, peas, and beans are all wonderful foods for losing abdominal fat. Researchers found that consuming a restricted calorie diet with four weekly servings of beans promotes weight loss more efficiently than consuming an identical diet without them. Legumes improve low-density lipoprotein (LDL; bad) cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure.
- Black beans: Beans help burn fat and build muscle since they are great sources of protein and fiber and are high in folate, vitamin B (promotes muscle building), and copper (helps tendons to stay strong). Beans help control your blood sugar and provide you the energy you need to gain muscle.
- Oats: Oats and oatmeal are high in complex carbohydrates and fiber that slow the release of sugars into the blood. Because oats contain 10 grams of protein per half a cup dose, they provide consistent, ab-muscle-friendly energy.
- Quinoa: Quinoa has the highest protein content of any grain and is abundant in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Quinoa is high in fiber and B vitamins and contains two times as much protein as conventional cereals while containing fewer carbohydrates.
- Buckwheat: Buckwheat, like quinoa, is gluten-free and a complete protein source, providing all nine important muscle-building amino acids that the body cannot make on its own. However, magnesium and fiber levels of this rhubarb relative make it such a nutritious powerhouse. It boosts circulation and reduces cholesterol.
- Bread with sprouts: This nutrient-dense bread contains folate-rich lentils and beneficial sprouting grains and seeds such as barley and millet. Sprouting bread, like quinoa, boosts vitamin and mineral absorption. Vitamin C, a nutrient that counteracts stress hormones (which cause abdominal fat storage); vital amino acids that help muscle growth; and fiber that provides satiety are all packed into this one dish.
- Bananas: Bananas help you get rid of gas and water retention because they are high in potassium. They are high in glucose, a quickly digestible chemical that offers fast energy, and their potassium concentration prevents muscle cramping during exercise.
- Apples: Apples are one of the best sources of fiber, and are extremely nutritious, containing the highest level of flavonoids (antioxidant), a fat-burning ingredient.
- Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are the king of slow carbs, which means they're absorbed slowly and leave you feeling fuller and energized for longer. They're high in fiber and minerals and can help you burn fat. Carotenoids are antioxidants that help balance blood sugar levels and reduce insulin resistance, which prevents calories from being turned into fat. Furthermore, its high vitamin profile (which contains A, C, and B6) gives you extra energy.
- Broccoli: This vegetable can help you lose weight while preventing prostate, breast, lung, and skin cancer. Broccoli has a phytonutrient called sulforaphane that increases testosterone and prevents body fat storage, according to research. It's also high in vitamin C.
- Blueberries: Blueberries have nutritious carbs and are high in polyphenols, which are chemical substances that prevent fat from accumulating. They may also help to build muscle. Their skins are high in ursolic acid, a substance that slows muscle breakdown as observed by researchers.
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References
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15416-carbohydrates
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/
https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/the-carbohydrate-advantage
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/
https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/the-carbohydrate-advantage
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