Unprocessed Carbohydrates

Unprocessed carbs digest slowly, providing sustained energy and helping to regulate blood sugar levels.

Unprocessed carbohydrates, also known as complex or whole carbohydrates, are carbohydrates that have not been refined or altered from their natural state. They are found in whole foods and contain their original fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are often removed during food processing.

You often hear the phrases “simple carbs” and “complex carbs” in nutrition discussions. Would it surprise you to learn those terms were created on the floors of the US Congress in 1973? Curiously they had nothing to do with food science at all! They were created as definitions to aid in the appropriation of subsidies in a farm bill. Politics that were later disguised as food science. Crazy, right?

Let’s instead divide carbs into “factory processed carbs” and “unprocessed carbs”. Factory processed carbs are those carbs that cannot exist without a factory and are ruined both by the processing methods themselves and by the extensive harmful additives they contain. Stick to Unprocessed, natural carbs. These can be divided into 6 main categories, organized here by their serving size.