If you choose the wrong “carbohydrates”, you will get hungry quickly and gain weight easily!

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a number of healthy eating guidelines to provide the public with more scientific and healthier dietary advice. Among them, "Carbohydrate Intake for Adults and Children" is to tell everyone how to choose and eat carbohydrates.

When we talk about carbohydrates, we usually think of staple foods such as rice, noodles, and steamed buns. In fact, carbohydrates are essential macronutrients for the human body and the main source of energy for our body. Therefore, the intake of carbohydrates is indispensable. So in daily life, how do we distinguish between "good carbohydrates" and "bad carbohydrates"?

First of all, we need to understand the classification of carbohydrates. Depending on whether the human body can digest and absorb them, they can be divided into two categories: usable carbohydrates, which are various sugars that can be digested, absorbed and utilized by the human body; and unusable carbohydrates, such as cellulose.

Image source: Healthy China

01 “Good Carbs”

This type of carbohydrate has a relatively complex structure, is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, has low energy and is digested slowly, has a low glycemic index and has little effect on blood sugar. Simply put, they are starchy carbohydrates that are difficult to digest.

This starch is also called "resistant starch". Resistant starch is difficult to digest, and after entering the colon, it can provide nutrition for the bacteria in the intestine. Because it is absorbed and enters the blood slowly, it helps diabetic patients maintain normal blood sugar levels and reduce hunger. Unprocessed foods such as whole grains, raw potatoes, lentils and green bananas are rich in resistant starch. For example, raw potatoes contain 75% resistant starch, while freshly cooked potatoes contain only 3%, but after cooling, it increases to 12%; for example, potatoes, raw potatoes contain 50% to 60% resistant starch, while cooked potatoes drop to 7%, so there is a suggestion of "eat sweet potatoes raw and potatoes cold".

Vegetables and fruits are rich in fiber and also contain a certain amount of carbohydrates, which are considered "good carbohydrates". These foods are usually green, that is, green carbohydrates. These green carbohydrates can make you feel fuller more easily and slow down the emptying time of the stomach. At the same time, they can also provide the human body with rich vitamins and minerals, which help maintain the health of teeth and intestines.

Image source: Healthy China

02 “Bad Carbs”

This kind of food has a relatively simple structure and is rich in calories, but low in fiber, vitamins and minerals. It can be quickly broken down during digestion, converted into glucose, and cause blood sugar to peak quickly.

If these carbohydrates are consumed too much, they will increase the cardiovascular burden, increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and are not conducive to controlling blood pressure and weight. These carbohydrates are mostly white or beige foods, such as rice, flour, and candy.