http://www.carveoutcarbs.com/complex-carbohydrates.html Complex carbohydrates really aren't that complex to understand. Read about the difference between simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates here. en-us Tue, 09 Aug 2005 16:20:15 EDT Tue, 09 Aug 2005 16:20:15 EDT Weblog Editor 2.0 What makes a low carbohydrate better for you than a no carbohydrate diet? Complex carbohydrates! Simple vs. Complex Carbohydrates Carbohydrates come in two forms--simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are anywhere from 1-3 units of sugar that are linked together to form single molecules, while complex carbohydrates have hundreds of these sugar units that are linked together. In general, complex carbohydrates are high in fiber, and are therefore found in fruits and vegetables, as well as whole grain breads and cereals, whole wheat pasta, and brown or long grain rice. Because of the higher fiber content and the hundreds of units of sugar that need to be broken down, complex carbohydrates take longer to digest, and you feel full longer. Although most complex carbs are high in fiber, there are some that aren't. Examples of high-fiber complex carbohydrate foods are lettuce, broccoli, apples, oranges, pears, carrots, just to name a few. Lower-fiber complex carbohydrates are foods like bananas, tomatoes, whole wheat pasta, whole grain cereals, whole wheat bread, potatoes and rice. Going Low Carb If you want to take baby steps into the world of low carb dieting, why not start by making a few healthy changes? For example, you can switch from white bread to whole wheat bread. Instead of eating regular pasta, switch to whole wheat pasta. Try long grain or brown rice instead of white rice. Stop eating candy and opt for fruit instead. These are small changes to your diet that could yield big results for you. And don't think of it as a diet--think of it as eating healthier. If you're into junk food or convenience foods, making healthier choices is bound to get you started on the weight loss path. Not only that, but if you replace cookies with fruit or chips with salad or cut-up raw vegetables, you will be filling your body with antioxidants and cancer-fighting ammo. Why not see if you can try it for a week or two? Tue, 09 Aug 2005 16:20:15 EDT