List Of Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the human body.

The World Health Organization has recommended that 55 to 75 percent of the total energy has to come from carbohydrates out of which only 10 percent contribution can be through sugars or simple carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are organic molecules in which carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are bonded together. Carbohydrates are made up of sugar units. Ones that contain one sugar unit (monosaccharide) or two sugar unit (disaccharide) are known as simple carbohydrates while complex carbohydrates consist of three or more sugar units bonded together in a chain.

In the case of complex carbohydrates, the digestive enzymes have to work longer to break the chain into individual sugars for the intestines to absorb. Hence they get absorbed gradually and they are able to provide a stream of energy for extended duration. That is why they can help to maintain blood sugar levels.

All carbohydrates get broken down to glucose before producing the energy molecule ATP (adenosinetriphosphate). Many vitamins and minerals are required for this process. The natural complex carbohydrates listed below are able to provide themselves the vitamins and the minerals required for energy production. On the other hand the refined carbohydrates which form part of processed foods lack these natural nutrients and most probably get converted into fat and stored instead.

The typical complex carbohydrates are listed below.

Bran	Wheat germ	Barley	Maize
Buckwheat	Cornmeal	Pasta	Macaroni
Spaghetti	Brown rice	Potatoes	Whole meal bread
Granary bread	Brown bread	Pitta bread	Bagel
Whole grain cereals	Breakfast cereals	Porridge oats	All bran
Wheetabix	Shredded wheat	Ryvita crispbread	Muesli
Cassava	Corn	Yam	Oatcakes
Peas	Beans	Lentils

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List Of Complex Carbohydrates