We all know that consuming too much sugar is not good for us but sometimes it is hard to tell what sugars may be better than others. Sugars can be broken down into simple vs complex sugars which both come from sources of carbohydrate foods. Carbohydrates are necessary for our health as they provide the body with the main source of energy and can be beneficial in providing us a heap of other nutrients to fuel us throughout the day.
Simple sugars are shorter chain carbohydrates, and our body can break them down very quickly and rapidly. They can enter our gut and our bloodstream quickly to provide us with a quick boost of energy. However, most simple sugar foods lack many other nutrients. This means it can give us a boost of energy quickly but at the same time can bring our energy levels down just as quick, if not quicker.
Simple sugar foods:
- Lollies
- Sweet Chocolate
- Cakes
- Biscuits
- Sugary Drinks
Complex Sugars are long chain carbohydrates, and our body takes more time to break down these foods and to be able to use them as energy. Most of the time they provide us with a more stable energy throughout a longer period of the day. They also contain a lot of other nutrients such as fibre (healthy happy guts) and plenty of vitamins and minerals. Aiming to swap out some simple sugar foods for complex sugar foods each day can go a long way in helping achieve good health!
Complex sugar foods:
- Wholemeal Bread
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Legumes – Chickpeas
- 100% Fruit Juice
What about naturally sweet foods? Fruit usually falls under this category but it’s essential to remember that although fruit does contain sugar, it’s the sugar that is naturally found in fruit and not found in a lot of other non-fruit products. Fruit also provides us with a heap of other vitamins and minerals and is recommended that you have two serves of fruit a day!
This week’s recipe: Try making some pizza rolls this week with a whole grain base. It’s a perfect lunch time option or snack to provide you with a lot of energy and to get even more nutrients out of this recipe, add some of your favourite vegetables as toppings, enjoy!
If you have any questions about your diet or would like one-on-one dietary advice from your Able Dietician, send us a message letting us know what you’re after and we’ll be in touch to help you achieve your goals!
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