TWO MAIN CATEGORIES OF CARBOHYDRATES
Complex carbohydrates (cereals, pasta, rice, legumes, potatoes, etc.), known as slow sugars because they are slowly digested after processing. They gradually release their energy over several hours; they therefore have a beneficial role in health.
Simple High carbohydrates (table sugar, confectionery, sweetened products and drinks, but also fruit, fruit juices, etc.), called fast sugars because they are very quickly digested, without transformation. These carbohydrates act as a boost to the body, as they provide immediately usable sugars. But when consumed in too large quantities, they cause metabolic disorders.
Some carbohydrates are not assimilated by the body, so they do not contribute to energy intake: they are fibre, which is found mainly in cooked vegetables. Because vegetables do not provide energy, they can be consumed at will!
List of High Carb Foods
Vegetables and fruit are mainly composed of water and carbohydrates. Also they are one of the best high carb foods source. Their water content is high, representing 80 to 90% of their weight. Although they are very low in calories, fruits are richer in carbohydrates than vegetables.Foods that benefit the body
Vegetables and fruit are foods that should be promoted for consumption. Indeed, they provide important fibers for the regulation of intestinal transit. They have a preventive role against overweight thanks to their long-lasting satiating effect.
Vegetables are also excellent appetite suppressants, outside of meals. In this case, it is better to refrain from eating fruit, as it stimulates the appetite and provides more fast sugars. Thanks to the high carb foods acids, tannins and aromatic substances they contain, vegetables and fruit have aperitif properties when consumed at the beginning of meals.
It is even estimated that regular consumption of plenty of fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of cancer by half.A source of vitamins….
Vegetables and fruit, especially when they are ripe and freshly picked in the high season, contain many vitamins.
They are the almost exclusive source of vitamin C. This vitamin, which fights infections especially in winter, is mainly found in kiwi, citrus fruits and acid berries.
Some vegetables and fruits contain provitamin A, or beta-carotene, which, because of its antioxidant function, fights against aging. Pro-vitamin A, transformed into vitamin A by the liver, is found mainly in colored fruits, whether red, yellow or orange (apricot, nectar, mango, etc.), and in vegetables rich in chlorophyll (broccoli, cress, spinach, sorrel, etc.).
Some vegetables, such as asparagus, carrots, cabbage, endive or spinach, are rich in vitamin B9, which is necessary for the formation of red blood cells.
… and minerals
Vegetables, and to a lesser extent fruits, also provide minerals. Their wealth in
potassium and their low sodium (salt) content make them diuretic foods.
They are rich in magnesium, a regulator of neuromuscular and cardiac functions; they are therefore very popular with athletes to prevent and treat cramps.
Some vegetables contain iron (chard, spinach, parsley, dandelion, etc.), but its action is less effective because it is less well absorbed by the body than the iron contained in meat.
Finally, after dairy products, vegetables and fruit are the second most important source of calcium, which is found in small amounts in carrots, celery, cabbage, watercress, parsley, blackcurrants and citrus fruits such as orange, lemon and grapefruit.
You can read about list of low carbohydrate foods from here.
Healthy High carb foods
What is a starchy food?
Starchy foods are foods of plant origin that are rich in carbohydrates and starch. It includes potatoes, legumes (lentils, peas, chickpeas, dried beans, beans) and cereals or food of cereal origin (pasta, rice, wheat, oats, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, barley, millet, rye, etc.).
Full of energy!
As an energy food, starchy foods should represent 45 to 50% of the total caloric intake. Their common property is to bring starch, a complex sugar slowly released into the body to provide energy from one meal to another.
Starchy foods can be modified by industrial processing or cooking and then provide rapidly assimilated sugars, such as puffed breakfast cereals, overcooked pasta, mashed potatoes. That’s why it’s better to eat raw cereals like oatmeal or muesli, “al dente” pasta that is still firm to the touch, or potatoes that have been cooked whole with the skin on.
What are its main contributions?
Starchy foods (especially legumes) provide a significant amount of protein, but they cover less well the growth and tissue renewal needs than animal proteins provided by meat, fish or eggs.
However, starchy foods are low in fat and do not contain cholesterol. They therefore remain an interesting source of protein, especially by combining legumes and cereals, which together provide a complete supply of the protein’s amino acids. It is the basis of a balanced vegetarian diet.
Starchy foods are high in fibre, which facilitates intestinal transit, but also in
vitamin of the B group (especially B1, B2, B3), which are involved in energy metabolism, and in various minerals (magnesium, iron, phosphorus).
Unfortunately, in the case of cereals, current refining processes largely eliminate fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is therefore important to eat whole grains instead, such as wholegrain bread, pasta or wholegrain rice.
These are foods rich in fast sugars such as table sugar, honey, jam, chocolate, ice cream, candy, pastries, pastries, sodas and other sweet drinks, etc.
These are sugars that provide immediate energy and resilience, but if taken in too large quantities, they can cause feelings of hunger and reactive hypoglycemia with fatigue, feelings of emptying, malaise and chills. The need for sugar is then felt. Because sugar calls for sugar and, in many cases, it is difficult to resist this new demand from the body. In the long term, this generates an almost permanent feeling of fatigue, a desire to eat all day long and causes states of irritability and nervousness.
Sweetened products are high in calories and can be responsible for weight gain, diabetes or excess blood fat called triglycerides. On the other hand, they are low in vitamins and minerals.
Sugar is also a good tranquilizer. It reduces anxiety by acting on brain neurotransmitters. Without banning sweet products, it is therefore necessary to know how to consume them moderately. Avoid eating them on an empty stomach, but do it during meals. Because, ingested as part of a meal, a fast sugar will paradoxically behave like a slow sugar.
Raw vegetables and fruit, or raw vegetables
– Vegetables: celery, cucumber, endive, fennel, soya bean sprout, radish, green salad, tomato, etc.
– Fruits: apricot, banana, cherry, lemon, fresh fig, mango, watermelon, apple, grape, etc.
Sugars in small quantities for vegetables and in medium quantities for fruits, water, vitamins (provitamin A and vitamin C in fruits) and minerals (especially potassium and magnesium for vegetables), fibres are some of the well known High Carb foods available.
Role on the organism
Moisturizes the body thanks to their high water content. Tonic effect by the supply of vitamin C and energy effect of fruits.
Cooked vegetables and fruit, or “cooked” vegetables and fruit
– Vegetables: vegetables mentioned above, but also asparagus, eggplant, beetroot, spinach, green beans, pumpkin, etc.
– Fruits: fruits mentioned above.
The same amount of sugars as in their raw form, water, fibres softened by cooking, minerals (especially potassium and magnesium for vegetables) and vitamins if cooking has been carried out properly.
Role on the organism
Moisturizes the body thanks to their high water content. Regulation of food assimilation, thanks to vegetable fibres. Energy effect of fruits.
Pasta, rice, bread, rusks, wheat, spelt, manioc, millet, barley, quinoa, buckwheat, granulated beans, lentils, peas, chickpeas, split peas, chestnuts, potatoes, etc.
Slow release complex sugars, vegetable proteins especially for dried vegetables, fibre when cereals are not refined, vitamins (especially those in group B) and magnesium for whole foods.
Role on the organism
Energy role extended over several hours.
Sweet products and sweet drinks
White sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, jams, jellies, chocolate, candies, sweets, pastries, dried fruit, sweet drinks and soft drinks.
Simple sugars with fast release.
Role on the organism
Immediate energy role.