Eating fiber helps you feel full, so you are less likely to overeat these foods. The type of carbohydrates you eat can impact your health. Foods that contain high amounts of simple carbs added sugars , especially fructose, raise triglyceride levels, which may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Your body breaks down carbs into simple sugars that are absorbed into the bloodstream. As blood sugar level rises, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. Insulin functions to move sugar from the blood into cells, where sugar is used for energy.

Simple sugars, such as sugar-sweetened beverages and desserts full of added sugars, are quickly digested and absorbed. In contrast, complex carbohydrates, such as an apple or a slice of whole-grain bread, take longer to digest and absorb, leaving you to feel fuller longer.

These types of complex carbohydrates give you energy over a longer period of time. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff.

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Long or short-grain white rice is another fast-absorbing carb many will already have at home. Enjoy a small amount with breakfast or after a workout to enjoy the health benefits of fast carbs. You can also opt for rice made with whole grains to reduce your blood sugar spikes to lose weight or prevent diabetes.

Fast carbs can be extra delicious, like a baked potato smothered in butter. When you want to choose fast-digesting carbs to increase your blood glucose and benefit your body, consider these factors before adding anything to your diet:.

Remember, fast-digesting carbs should cause temporary, manageable blood sugar spikes. If you experience these symptoms recurrently after eating fast carbs, see a health provider right away: You can use fast-absorbing carbs to accomplish your health goals.

Talk with your doctor or a nutritionist to decide which simple carbs are best for your health and routine. They could help you improve your overall health and well-being now that you know how they work. We provide other healthy habits through frequent blog posts and can assist your health journey with glucose monitoring.

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Privacy Policy. How It Works. View Plans. Home How It Works FAQs Blog View Plans. Fast-Digesting Carbs: What They Are and How They Work Simple carbs can spike your blood sugar quickly, but are there benefits to consuming them in certain situations?

Reviewed by Mia Barnes. Updated by. Science-based and reviewed. Foods to Eat. Glucose Metabolism. Low Carb. Whole Nutrition. Table of contents Example H2. Example H3. What Are Fast-Digesting Carbs? Fructose Fructose is another natural sugar in fruits and vegetables, but you can also eat more than you intend if you incorporate items like honey and bread into your diet.

Lactose Fast carbs also include lactose. Maltose When glucose goes through the malting process, it becomes maltose. Slow-Digesting Carbs Fast-digesting carbs like those above will easily integrate into your bloodstream.

These are the primary differences everyone should know when learning about fast or slow-digesting carbs: Simple carbs: Provide quick bursts of energy Slow carbs: Make you feel fuller for longer Simple carbs: Spike the blood sugar Slow carbs: Affect your blood sugar levels gradually.

Get more information about weight loss, glucose monitors, and living a healthier life. References Holesh, J.

Physiology, Carbohydrates. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Physiology, Glucose. Health Benefits of Bread. Gold Medal Bakery. Galactose - An Overview. Disaccharide - an Overview. Description and functional analysis of the transcriptome from Malting Barley.

Science Direct. For this reason, applesauce can be easier to digest than an uncooked apple. Applesauce also contains pectin, a soluble fiber that may help treat some types of diarrhea.

Depending on the type of apple, a g cup of unsweetened applesauce can provide:. Apples and applesauce contain fermentable carbohydrates that feed gut bacteria, but these may aggravate symptoms of IBS. The advantage of making applesauce at home is that people can be sure it is fresh and has no additives.

Boiled, poached, or scrambled eggs are easy to prepare, eat, and digest. They are suitable for people who are recovering from a stomach virus or nausea. The white contains less fat and is easier to digest, but many people with digestive problems can also tolerate the yolk.

A large boiled or poached egg provides a wide range of nutrients, including:. When scrambling eggs, add low fat milk rather than cream or butter, as animal fats can be hard to tolerate for some people. It is important to cook all eggs fully, as raw egg carries a risk of salmonella poisoning.

Learn more about the nutritional value of eggs. Sweet potatoes are a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber increases the good bacteria in the intestines, contributing to a healthy digestive system. Insoluble fiber decreases digestion time and promotes regularity.

Removing the skin also helps with gentler digestion. A g cup of mashed sweet potato contains:. People who experience IBS will need to keep their portions small to avoid a flare-up of symptoms since sweet potatoes are a medium source of FODMAPs.

Learn more about the health benefits of sweet potatoes. Chicken is a source of lean protein, which helps the body repair itself. Chicken also provides a range of minerals and B vitamins. Chicken tends to be easy to digest. It also contains no fiber, making it a good choice for people with digestive issues, such as IBS.

A g serving of stewed chicken breast without the skin provides:. Salmon contains protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and a wide range of minerals and B vitamins. Baking salmon without adding fat or oil will help make it easy to digest. A g serving of baked salmon without added fat provides:. During pregnancy, it is essential to cook salmon fully and only choose salmon that comes from a reputable source.

Large, oily fish can contain high levels of mercury, but salmon is typically low in mercury. Raw salmon will be harder to digest than cooked salmon. In rare cases, it can contain small parasites, which can cause anisakidosis. Symptoms of this infection include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Learn more about the health benefits of salmon. Hospitals often serve gelatin desserts after surgery. Gelatin contains no fiber or oil and is easy to digest. It can help manage dehydration. Sweetened gelatin can also provide energy. The nutritional value of gelatin dishes varies and depends on their other ingredients, but a g cup serving of a typical gelatin dessert may provide:.

Agar-agar comes from seaweed and creates a similar texture to gelatin. Jellies containing agar-agar can provide energy and fluid, but they contain less protein. Learn more about the health benefits of gelatin. Some people find that plain saltine crackers help settle nausea, for example, during pregnancy.

They can also be easy to digest. The American Heart Association recommends aiming for a maximum intake of 1, mg a day of sodium for most adults. People who consume saltine crackers regularly need to consider the sodium content, especially if they are at risk of high blood pressure or cardiovascular disease.

It measures how fast carbs are digested and absorbed into the bloodstream as glucose. GI can rank from 0 to , where foods between 0 to 50 have a low GI, 50 to 70 have a medium GI, and foods above 70 have a high GI. Simple carbs have medium-high glycemic indexes. The cooking time of foods will affect their glycemic indexes.

For clarity, you can check this glycemic index guide on foods. You should find them in the ingredients list of the product:. Any one of these is added to certain foods, which would then qualify as simple carbs. A good example is an energy bar with glucose or brown sugar, chocolate syrup spread, and even raw sugar added to fast-digesting carbs such as pancakes.

They are typically considered added sugars, and are there to improve the taste and extend the shelf life. We are usually recommended to limit our intake of these added sugars.

BetterMe app is your personal trainer, nutritionist and support system all in one. Start using our app to stay on track and hold yourself accountable! As you chew on the food, the salivary glands secrete saliva, which coats the food particles and breaks down the sugar molecules into smaller units, thanks to an enzyme called salivary amylase.

Polysaccharides will be broken down into smaller chains of glucose which are dextrins and maltose. After which, more digestion takes place in the small intestines. Pancreatic juice from the pancreas will break down maltose and dextrins into glucose using the enzyme pancreatic amylase.

For example, sucrase breaks sucrose into glucose and fructose molecules, maltase breaks the bond between the two glucose units of maltose, and lactase breaks the bond between galactose and glucose. From there, single sugar units are now easily transported into intestinal cells, then into the bloodstream.

After digestion, absorption, and transportation, the liver will receive glucose, fructose, and galactose as the first organ. The liver will leave the glucose needed for active energy, and the remaining molecules will be stored as glycogen stores. Insulin also triggers the muscle tissue to store away glucose as glycogen for use later during the day or on your next workout.

In summary, simple carbs will be absorbed into the body through the bloodstream, where they provide glucose for energy and build up energy as glycogen in the muscles and liver.

The best time to consume fast-digesting carbs is after your workout. Usually, consuming simple sugars will cause insulin to convert excess glucose into fat storage.

However, post- workout , these high insulin levels will drive recovery nutrients such as creatine, glucose, and amino acids into muscle cells to restock glycogen.

Your body will be in an anabolic phase where glycogen from your muscles is depleted and in need of replenishment and energy boost Taking simple carbs after a workout also helps to prevent muscle catabolism or muscle protein breakdown.

Fast digesting carbs will increase your insulin levels in the body leading to reduced muscle protein breakdown. Studies show that insulin reduces muscle protein breakdown where a simple way to do that is by ingesting simple carbohydrates 3.

In line with reducing muscle protein breakdown, quick-digesting carbohydrates can also help promote muscle synthesis, especially when taken along with protein after a workout. Muscles need nutrients to grow, and the quickest way to get them what they need is by stimulating insulin, the anabolic hormone that facilitates tissue growth 3.

Therefore, this concludes that consuming fast-digesting carbs post-workout offers the most benefit. We have established that you need simple carbs right after your workout to help with replenishing your glycogen.

To raise your insulin levels, you need the right simple carbs that will rapidly increase your blood glucose. These carbohydrates have three characteristics:. With that in mind, go for foods that meet this criterion such as low-fiber fruits, low-fat milk, and white grains.

Read More: Losing 50 Pounds In 3 Months: Is It Possible? Fast digesting carbs are great post-workout for the reasons stated above. However, when you consume too many simple sugars, the excess glucose is stored as body fat leading to weight gain. With these fast-releasing carbs, Timing is everything.

You want the proper nutrients at the right time; otherwise, you risk weight gain, which can lead to obesity, among other health risks. Ideally, you can stick to healthy fast-digesting carbs such as white grains, pasta, and fruits instead of cookies, candies, and sugary beverages, but the fact remains that simple sugars have their risks.

Hence, when these carbs are taken often as snacks, they lead to weight gain and prolonged insulin problems 1. Studies reveal that fructose can also increase your hunger cues, creating more appetite.

Moreover, excessive fructose consumption may cause resistance to leptin, an important hormone that regulates hunger and tells your body to stop eating 1 , 4.

The glucose from these foods is used up quickly, causing you to feed again and again. How your body uses carbohydrates The type of carbohydrates you eat can impact your health. Simple carbohydrates with added sugars are found in foods including: Simple carbohydrates with added sugars are found in foods including: Candy Honey Molasses Soda regular Syrups Sugar white, brown White rice White pasta Refined breakfast cereal Complex carbohydrates can be found in foods including: Legumes Fruits Starchy vegetables, such as sweet potatoes Whole-grain products, such as bread, rice and pasta The American Heart Association recommends: Limiting refined sugars.

Foods with simple carbohydrates have empty calories and very little nutrition. Choosing complex carbohydrates. These foods, such as fruit and vegetables, are loaded with healthy nutrients. Include legumes, beans, lentils and dried peas, too.

Including whole grains. Enjoy brown rice and whole-grain pasta, breads and cereals. First Name required. Last Name required. Email required.

Zip Code required. I agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. Last Reviewed: Sep 12, Nationally Supported by. Learn more about Lipton. Numerous epidemiologic studies have shown a positive association between higher dietary glycemic index and increased risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

However, the relationship between glycemic index and body weight is less well studied and remains controversial. This measure is called the glycemic load. In general, a glycemic load of 20 or more is high, 11 to 19 is medium, and 10 or under is low. The glycemic load has been used to study whether or not high-glycemic load diets are associated with increased risks for type 2 diabetes risk and cardiac events.

In a large meta-analysis of 24 prospective cohort studies, researchers concluded that people who consumed lower-glycemic load diets were at a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate a diet of higher-glycemic load foods. Here is a listing of low, medium, and high glycemic load foods.

For good health, choose foods that have a low or medium glycemic load, and limit foods that have a high glycemic load. de Munter JS, Hu FB, Spiegelman D, Franz M, van Dam RM. Whole grain, bran, and germ intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: a prospective cohort study and systematic review.

PLoS Med. Beulens JW, de Bruijne LM, Stolk RP, et al. High dietary glycemic load and glycemic index increase risk of cardiovascular disease among middle-aged women: a population-based follow-up study. J Am Coll Cardiol. Halton TL, Willett WC, Liu S, et al.

Low-carbohydrate-diet score and the risk of coronary heart disease in women. N Engl J Med. Anderson JW, Randles KM, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ. Carbohydrate and fiber recommendations for individuals with diabetes: a quantitative assessment and meta-analysis of the evidence.

J Am Coll Nutr. Ebbeling CB, Leidig MM, Feldman HA, Lovesky MM, Ludwig DS. Effects of a low-glycemic load vs low-fat diet in obese young adults: a randomized trial. Maki KC, Rains TM, Kaden VN, Raneri KR, Davidson MH. Effects of a reduced-glycemic-load diet on body weight, body composition, and cardiovascular disease risk markers in overweight and obese adults.

Am J Clin Nutr. Chiu CJ, Hubbard LD, Armstrong J, et al. Dietary glycemic index and carbohydrate in relation to early age-related macular degeneration.

Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC.