Carbohydrates

The body’s preferred fuel.

Carbohydrates (the body’s main fuel) can be divided into two broad groups - simple carbohydrates (sugars) and complex (starchy) carbohydrates.

Simple Sugars
Simple Sugars are made up of sugars ( like sucrose) which are quickly broken down and absorbed into the blood stream, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. The rapid rise causes the body to produce a sharp rise in insulin levels and results in the sugars being converted into fat - something we want to avoid. This rapid rise in blood sugar levels is usually followed by a rapid drop. This means that although we get a ‘quick lift’, the downside is that simple carbohydrates quickly leave us feeling more tired than before.

Complex (starchy) carbohydrates
Complex or starchy carbohydrates are molecules of many sugars joined together. These are the carbohydrates that potatoes supply. Starchy carbohydrates are an important source of energy. Because the molecules are made up of many sugars it takes longer for them to be broken down in the stomach. This means that the sugars are released more slowly into the blood stream avoiding unwanted peaks in blood sugar levels.

Starchy carbohydrates are the body’s favourite fuel. This is because the starch provides most of the glucose that the body needs. Glucose is the preferred source of energy for muscles and other tissues and organs of the body. In fact, glucose is the only energy source your brain will use. Because of this it is vital we have a regular intake of starch in order to help us meet our glucose needs.

Potatoes are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates.