Complex and Refined Carbohydrates for Weight Loss
Knowing the difference between complex carbohydrates and refined carbohydrates is essential for anyone wanting sustained and correct weight loss. Often, not being able to distinguish the difference is one of the main reasons that most people are not able to lose weight. In desperation, most people cut out carbohydrates all together.
What is a Carbohydrate
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy while protein is a very important building block. Fat can be used as a source of energy and also as a building block.
The body’s preferred fuel choice is glucose which is a very simple sugar molecule derived from carbohydrates. Glucose is the brain’s preferred fuel. Your brain cannot burn fat for fuel. Glucose is also an excellent source of energy when sudden and quick exertion is required such as a 100 m sprint. Fat is a better source of energy when a long and sustained energy source is required such as going for a 5 km jog.
Carbohydrates are made from simple sugar molecules such as glucose or fructose (fruit sugar). These simple sugar molecules are bonded together to form longer chains of sugar in a carbohydrate.
Complex Carbohydrates and Refined Carbohydrates
Digestion of carbohydrates require the breakdown of the longer chains into simple sugar molecules such as glucose and fructose. The body can only utilize carbohydrates for energy when the longer chains are broken down to glucose molecules. Only simple sugars such as glucose can be absorbed through the intestine.
Complex carbohydrates are made from 3 sugar molecules and more to form longer sugar chains. Complex carbohydrates are food found in its natural form. These include fruits, nuts, seeds, unprocessed or whole grain and vegetables.
The largest source of complex carbohydrates is unprocessed or whole grain. Whole grain essentially means eating the grain on the whole as it is harvested. If a grain can be sprouted, it is a complex carbohydrate. If you cannot sprout it, it is refined grain and probably contains lots of simple sugar. Examples of whole grain include oats, rye, hulled and de-hulled barley (not pearl), brown rice and wheat.
Refined carbohydrates are also known as simple carbohydrates or simple sugars. Refined carbohydrates are easy to identify as it comes as a refined powder in its raw state. Most of the time it is white in colour. Common examples of this include white rice, white flour and white bread. Most junk food, pastries, fruit juices, colas, sodas and desserts are made of simple or refined carbohydrates.
Complex Carbohydrates Provide a Steady Source of Energy
Digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chains of complex carbohydrates into individual sugar molecules. The break down of these long chains require time and energy. For this reason, digesting an oat meal takes much more energy and time than digesting a doughnut even though the portions eaten could have the same energy content.The slow and steady digestion process of a complex carbohydrate ensures that there is a steady supply of energy to meet your needs.
Excess Calories from Digestion of Refined Carbohydrates are Stored as Fat
Refined or simple carbohydrates need very little digestion effort. Refined carbohydrates are broken down very easily and are rapidly absorbed through the intestine. The in rush of glucose into the blood stream is rapid and usually results in excess available energy. The body stores the excess glucose as fat. Once all the excess glucose is used up by being stored as fat and used to meet the immediate energy needs, you will become hungry again. Eating refined carbohydrates will result in very rapid weight gain.
The sudden influx of sugar molecules into the blood stream requires that your body over-release insulin into the blood stream to control the blood sugar levels. The body tries very hard to keep blood sugar within a very tight range and it achieves this via the insulin hormone.
Insulin Hormone and Fat Storage
Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas. It allows the transport of glucose into cells that require energy. Without insulin, glucose cannot be absorbed into cells and the level of blood sugar would increase. This leads to type 1 diabetes.
The body could also become less sensitized to insulin thus resulting in more and more insulin being required to force the same amount of glucose into cells. Eventually, the increasing demand for insulin puts such a strain on the pancreas that it is not able to cope with the insulin demands. This results to type 2 diabetes.
Insulin is a very potent fat storage hormone. When insulin levels are high, it is impossible to burn fat. Instead, every little bit of food you eat ends up getting stored as fat. Eating lots of simple sugar causes insulin level to remain elevated.
Complex Carbohydrates are More Filling
Consuming complex carbohydrates also have a higher satiety index. It simply means that complex carbohydrates are more filling than simple carbohydrates. It is more filling to eat oat meal rather than a doughnut even if both food portions have the same energy content.
Eat Carbohydrates in its Natural Form
Eat an apple instead of drinking apple juice. An apple is a complex carbohydrate while apple juice is full of simple sugars. Eat whole wheat or rye bread instead of white bread. Eat brown rice instead of processed white rice.
Ensure that 90% of your carbohydrate consumption consists of complex carbohydrates. This will help normalize blood sugar, insulin levels as well as allow you to lose weight. Complex carbohydrates will enable you to achieve correct weight loss.
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13/03/2010
I think that this is a very healthy and nice post to read and share. Keep it up and have a nice posting and great readership…
11/04/2010
We have to watch the empty carbs. They are killers. Anything refined is bad. Take out what is good and put it back in after man has messed with itt.
.-= Weight Loss´s last blog ..Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction =-.
08/05/2010
I truly appreciate you taking your value time to teach me some valuable lessons here. I will try to put them into practice!
25/05/2010
It’s great to be able to read articles like this. I am very greatful. This post was a great help to me.
03/06/2010
I am really starting to think that this whole “weight loss” focus is wrong. We need to be focused on “healthy living” and then everything else will follow…(like natural weight loss, longer life, cleaner arteries (heart health), better skin, and generally happier life) That, to me, makes a whole lot more sense! Thank you so much, Kristen K.
04/06/2010
You are absolutely right about the focus on weight loss. But that is the only language that people understand. Vanity is the number one driver for most people. They can see themselves everyday. it is tangible. Health is not important as people do not realize its importance until it is gone. But most people who lose weight and start exercising will eventually start to value health more. Thank you for your comment.
05/06/2010
Great post, thanks for sharing this information. People should be aware that not only eating right is wise but they need to get out, take a walk, stretch and do some kind of exercise to stimulate the circulation and burn a few calories.
.-= Dan Johnson´s last blog ..Vita Mark is The Name of My Primary Company =-.
06/06/2010
Thanks for the comment. Exercise is extremely essential and people cannot ignore it. Weight loss is holistic. No single diet can provide sustainable weight loss
09/06/2010
Great site!
Ever wonder why you start panting after climbing even only 10 steps of the stairs? Tired of looking for the right size of clothing to fit your body? Or worse, do you always get people to notice you, yet at the same time discriminate you?
Terrible as they may seem, but these are just some of the countless bad effects of obesity.
It’s true…
Take it from me because I have been there. And it wasn’t fun – even just bringing it back to mind can be so frustrating.
But I didn’t lose hope. I made an extra effort to study what causes obesity and how it can be treated. Thus, I alloted enough time to perform what I have learned.
And now, I have achieved the perfect body weight and figure I have always wanted.
Like me, I’m sure you can do it.
14/06/2010
In simple terms, carbohydrates are broken down by various enzymes into simple sugars then glucose so they can be absorbed into the blood. Digestive enzymes are like biological scissors – they chop long starch molecules into simpler ones
21/06/2010
Nice post, this post has some great information in it and i agree with some of the other comments here in that if you want to live a healthy lifestyle and keep the weight off then excersise has got to become a part of peoples everyday life. I look forward to reading more from you.
23/06/2010
Thank you for your comment. Yes excess insulin can do some nasty things and most people are not aware of its effects
10/07/2010
Nice breakdown between complex and refined carbs. I think that many people don’t even realize there are different types of carbs out there when in fact not all carbs are created equal.
15/07/2010
Great post! I found it very helpful and inspiring.
26/07/2010
This is a very helpful article. Thanks
02/08/2010
Hey,
The breakdown and information and misinformation on carbs can be so overwhelming. You did a great job putting it into a comprehensive perspective. Excellent! I enjoyed your posting very much
09/08/2010
Great article. People who believe that a calorie is a calorie are clearly wrong! Refined carbs are evil…
17/08/2010
Exercise is not always necessary to lose weight but it is highly recommended, so why not do it? For a start it makes you feel a whole lot better, it’s getting started that’s the hard part for me.
31/08/2010
This is a fantastic and very informative article. Eating the correct carbs at the right time of the day is key to weight loss.
14/09/2010
This is an excellent article, you need to make sure that you are eating the correct carbs at the correct time. For example try to only consume simple carbs such as fruit and fruit juice during and after your workout.
15/09/2010
Thanks for the comment. Refined carbs are the main culprits and have to be eliminated for sustainable weight loss. Complex carbs such as fruits and vegetables should make aup a larger portion of our daily food consumption.
17/09/2010
I have been on this special programme now for a few years now and I must say I feel great. Better than what I felt two years ago. Great Article… Oh Ye…..
30/09/2010
I think we rely too much on refined carbs these days. It all comes down to the fast pace of life and the need for a “quick fix”. Switching to complex carbs is something we all need to do to feel better inside and out.
05/11/2010
Losing weight is a tricky mission for everybody who wants to loose weight. The solution is to keep oneself motivated and enthusiastic about the whole process till you see some real results.
14/11/2010
This is a great article. I grow very tired of people simply saying that carbohydrates are bad and cause you to gain weight. This has never been true and people could do with some education like you provide here. Thanks!
15/11/2010
Thank you for your comment. People cannot stop taking consuming carbohydrates. Instead they have to stop consuming refined carbohydrates and only consume complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates provide nutrients and fibre that you could not get from any other macronutrient.
15/11/2010
Yes Renzo. Weight loss does require determination. But then again, isn’t anything that is worthwhile doing and any goal worthwhile attaining require discipline and determination. Building a healthy and lean body is no different from building a business. It requires effort, discipline and determination.
15/11/2010
Thank you for your comment Su. Yes refined carbs are the real problem. But people have labeled all carbs as evil. Complex carbs are an absolute necessity for a healthy diet. people have to completely eliminate complex carbs and eat only refined carbs.
15/11/2010
To keep the body fit, Overweight people must reduce their weight, so that the body could remain in the stable condition. Ther are lot of ways to reduce the weight.
12/01/2011
A very thorough and convincing post! The biggest energy source for the body comes from complex carbohydrates, which in turn can be converted into glucose that will then gradually be released into the blood stream. This is precisely what makes a person feel more energetic. Complex carbohydrates provide a constant and ongoing supply of energy, so they must be made a part of every diet. Complex carbohydrates are found in whole grain bread, oats, pasta, cereals, vegetables, rice, beans, lentils and potatoes. Very nice post. Keep going on.
14/01/2011
Thank you for your comment Aisha. As you have said, people have to realize that not all carbs are evil. They only need to be cautious of refined carbs. When someone eats complex carbs like fruits and vegetables, it is really hard to gain weight.
08/06/2011
Great basic information…. people fail in losing weight because they don’t know the difference between complex and refined carbohydrates. As you said, they cut all carbohydrates intake with the worst effect: lack of energy, slow metabolism, hunger…..
28/08/2011
The author of this article has the right idea, but he/she has the science behind carbohydrates a little mixed up. One cannot simply categorize ALL refined carbohydrates as simple and ALL natural carbohydrates as complex. For example, most fruits contain both fructose (a monosaccharide, which is a simple carbohydrate) and cellulose (aka fiber; a polysaccharide, which is a complex carbohydrate). But fruit most certainly is not something one should avoid in their diet, which this article might mislead some people into believing because of the fact that there are people out there who know that fructose, or fruit sugar, is a simple carbohydrate.
Fructose will have the same effect on your body as table sugar if consumed in its pure form (i.e. high fructose corn syrup). But consuming fruit, with the indigestible cellulose, (aka fiber) along with the multitude of other beneficial substances it contains, does not lead to problems like a daily 6 pack of soda will. The fiber in the fruit binds with the fructose so that when digested, the breakdown and absorption is sustained for a longer period of time. This prevents the sugar bombardment this article was spot on with when describing the problem with consuming refined carbohydrates.
On the other end of the spectrum, white bread, white rice, etc, are not simple carbohydrates, they are essentially starches, which make them polysaccharides/complex carbohydrates. Confusing? Yes it is when reading this article because you cannot simply define all refined carbs as simple and all natural carbs as complex, lol.
I’ll clear it up for everyone. These “white” complex carbs are bleached during the refining process. This strips them of almost everything aside from the digestible carbohydrate/starch your body uses as fuel. This refining process may make the end product (i.e. white bread, white rice) more palatable to some people, but it also makes the starch almost as easy to digest as pure table sugar. Therefore, eating these refined complex carbs results in the same sugar bombardment effect described in this article.
The bottom line is that differentiating between the carbohydrates you should be eating for long lasting energy vs those you should be consuming for instant energy may, for some, require some research. I simply go by the rule that fruits are for instant energy (because they are higher in simple carbs) and whole grains or natural starches (vegetables) are for sustained energy. The easy differentiation to make is what carbohydrates you should be eating PERIOD.
Don’t eat it if it doesn’t grow out the ground! If it doesn’t go right from the plant to your mouth, don’t eat it! The one exception here is whole wheat bread/cereals, because there is obviously a “process” involved in making bread/cereal, but the exception here is that the natural plant material isn’t altered or refined during this process, its essentially coming right from the plant and being “cooked” or “prepared”… and then to your mouth, lol.
We didn’t evolve into what we are today and survive as long as we have eating pure sugar and white bread. Throughout our existence, we ate foods that nature provided for us. We gathered them from the ground and ate ‘em up, in their pure form. The refining process came about relatively very recently in our history. The truth is, what we’re doing to our food, along with the sedentary life style most people have, are the two reasons there are so many obese people in the world today. It’s actually quite difficult to get grossly obese eating an all natural diet. Keep your diet natural, and your body will look as nature intended it to look. It’s that simple.