Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) are those consisting of a large number of saccharide units linked together by a glycosidic bond. Dietary polysaccharides are:
- Starch (energy source – 20% amylose, 80% amylopectin, consisting of glucose units) – cereals, legumes, potatoes
- Dietary fiber (not used for energy – various compounds) – vegetables, fruits (especially unpeeled), whole grain foods, legumes
- soluble – satiety, prebiotic, slows blood sugar increase, binds cholesterol: legumes, seeds, fruits and vegetables, potatoes, cereals – especially oats, rye, barley
- insoluble – improves digestion, cleans the intestine: peels (of grain, fruit, potatoes), seeds, nuts, some vegetables
The importance of starch-containing foods:
- they usually also contain fiber (food is digested longer, plus it has to split the macromolecule into glucose units)
- they also contain minerals and vitamins that are not elsewhere
- although they often have higher GI than some sugars (fructose, lactose), they tend to cause less metabolic problems
Polysaccharides also include glycogen (not found in the diet), which serves as a reserve of energy in the body.
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