Carbohydrate Fact Sheet

CARBOHYDRATE TYPE	WHAT IS IT?	WHERE IS IT FOUND?	WHY IS IT (UN)HEALTHY?	HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU EAT PER DAY?
All Carbs	Carbs are hexagons of carbon molecules, called sugars. Sometimes, these sugars are combined into more complex carbs. The body takes longer to break these down than simpler, one-hexagon carbs.	Carbs are found in almost all foods, from plants to many animal products.	The main factor in seeing if a serving of carbs is healthy or not is how much it affects the body’s glucose levels. Glucose spikes and higher glucose levels are linked with the development of type-2 diabetes. So, one should make sure not to eat too many carbs, especially not simple sugars.	Carbs are integral to helping the body function and should not be entirely avoided. The FDA recommends having 275g of carbs for a 2000 calorie diet.¹
Simple Carbs	Simple carbs and sugars are the sweeteners of natural foods. Our bodies break these simple carbohydrates down very quickly, leading to a spike in blood glucose (the amount of sugar in our blood).	Simple carbs include the fructose in fruit or the sucrose in sodas and desserts. Simple carbs are also found in white breads and pastas.	Simple carbs cause spikes in blood glucose. When these spikes subside, one begins to feel hungry again, even if they have already eaten enough calories, and may therefore overeat. Each time the body eats lots of simple carbs, insulin is dispensed to lower the body’s blood glucose. But eventually, the body will become insulin resistant, leading to type-2 diabetes, a dangerous disease. Therefore, overeating simple carbs is unequivocally unhealthy.²	Simple carbs often show up as “added sugars” on nutrition labels, and should often be avoided. While the FDA allows 50g of added sugars per day for a 2000 calorie diet, the American Heart Association recommends only 36g of added sugar for men and only 25g for women.³ Generally, choosing complex carbs and whole grains over simple carbs is the healthy choice to make, although some simple carbs and added sugars can be allowed each day.
Complex Carbs	Complex carbs are chains of multiple simple sugars. Therefore, our bodies take longer to break them down than simpler carbs. The longer process causes a smaller spike in blood glucose than simple carbs.	Complex carbs can be found in whole grain bread, legumes, and brown rice.	Complex carbs are an important energy source for our body. They do not carry the same risks of glucose spikes and diabetes as simple carbs do, so they are a necessary nutrient for the body to function.	The FDA recommends filling most of their 275g of carbs a day suggestion with complex carbs.⁴ The more complex carbs and whole grains a person eats, rather than any simple carbs or non-whole grains, the better.
Dietary Fiber	Dietary fibers are a type of complex carbs which have long carbon hexagon chains. Thus, our bodies have a hard time digesting fiber, so fiber does not cause a blood sugar spike. It also increases the frequency of bowel movements.	Dietary fiber can be found in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.	Dietary fiber is useful and healthy for the body. The FDA highly recommends eating lots of fiber, and a meta analysis of fiber reveals that it decreases all-cause mortality.⁵	The FDA recommends eating 28g of fiber a day (for a 2000 calorie diet).⁶ Eating significantly more than that amount could cause complications, so the FDA’s suggestion should be seen as a good target amount.
Sugar Alcohols	Sugar alcohols are a type of carbohydrate that have chemical characteristics of both sugar and alcohol molecules. They taste sweet, but unlike carbs, sugar alcohols are not completely absorbed by the body, and almost no calories.	The most common types of sugar alcohols are erythritol, xylitol, and aspartame. These chemicals are often found in no-sugar drinks, snacks, and gum.	Because sugar alcohols do not have any calories, they can be helpful as a substitute for sugary foods. But, they have some downsides, including possibly causing gastrointestinal problems.⁷ Also, one study showed that some sugar alcohols can lead to increased cardiovascular disease events in people with pre-existing risk factors.⁸ Sugar alcohols can be much healthier than eating regular sugar, but they are not perfect.	Sugar alcohols are a widely debated topic. There is no reason to have sugar alcohols in the first place, as they have a few possible downsides. However, if a person who already consumes lots of sugar wants to switch to consuming lots of sugar alcohols, that change should be welcomed, as it will lower the number of calories they eat and may reduce the risk of some diseases, like type-2 diabetes.