About Carbs

Carbohydrate classification

There are 3 main types of carbohydrate, these are:

1. Complex carbohydrates: These are the slow digesting, low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates that will slowly increase blood glucose and cause the body to release a steady stream of insulin over a couple of hours. Examples of low GI carbohydrates are oats, barley and sweet potatoes.

2. Simple (sugary) carbohydrates: The fast digesting high GI carbohydrates that raise blood glucose very quickly and force the body to output a lot of insulin in a short period of time. Examples of high GI carbohydrates are dextrose, refined cereal grains and boiled sweets.

3. Fibre: There are 2 types of fibre, soluble and insoluble. Although they are very important for health, their direct effect on blood glucose is minimal so we can ignore them for the minute, although they will be discussed later.