Carbohydrates & Sugar

Carbohydrates have had a complicated reputation - low-carb diets, sugar bans, "carbs are bad" headlines. The truth is more nuanced and far more useful. The difference between a potato and a doughnut matters enormously, even though both contain carbohydrate.

#Simple vs Complex Carbs

Carbohydrates are not a monolith. The distinction that matters is how much fibre and starch a carb contains - and how quickly it raises blood sugar.

What carbs are made of

Component	Digestion speed	Effect
Sugars	Fast	Quick energy spike then drop
Starch	Medium	Moderate glucose release
Fibre	Not digested	Slows absorption, feeds gut bacteria

Simple carbs = mostly sugars with little fibre (white bread, fruit juice, sweets, pastries).

Complex carbs = starch + fibre (oats, brown rice, sweet potato, legumes, most vegetables).

Why it matters

Simple carbs digest quickly - useful around intense exercise, but they cause faster blood sugar spikes and leave you hungry again sooner. Complex carbs digest more slowly, providing steadier energy and better satiety.

It's about context, not elimination

Even "simple" carbs become less impactful when eaten alongside protein, fat, or fibre. A meal's composition matters as much as the carb source itself.

Easy swaps

• White rice → brown rice or quinoa
• White bread → wholegrain or rye
• Sugary cereal → oats with fruit
• Fruit juice → whole fruit (adds back the fibre)

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#Added vs Natural Sugars

Not all sugar in your diet is equivalent. The sugar in a whole orange comes packaged with fibre, water, and micronutrients; the sugar in a flavoured yoghurt or granola bar is typically added with little nutritional benefit.

The key distinction

Type	Where it comes from	How the body handles it
Natural sugar	Whole fruit, vegetables, plain dairy	Slower absorption due to fibre/water matrix
Added sugar	Added during manufacturing	Faster absorption, no accompanying nutrients

Added sugar hides behind many names

Ingredient lists use over 50 names for added sugar. Look for any word ending in -ose (sucrose, dextrose, maltose, fructose) or containing syrup (high-fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, malt syrup), as well as fruit juice concentrate, cane juice, and invert sugar. The earlier these appear in the list, the more is present.

How much is too much?

• WHO guideline: less than 10% of daily calories from added sugar (~50g / 12 tsp on a 2,000 kcal diet)
• Ideal target: under 5% (~25g / 6 tsp)
• For reference: one can of cola contains around 35g of added sugar

Biggest hidden sources

Pasta sauces, ketchup, flavoured yoghurts, breakfast cereals, granola bars, fruit juices, and flavoured coffee drinks are among the most common sources people don't realise are high in added sugar.

Practical approach

• Buy plain yoghurt and add your own fruit
• Check labels on sauces, dressings, and cereals before buying
• Whole fruit is fine - the fibre changes how the sugar is absorbed
• Reserve sweetened treats for intentional choices rather than habitual ones