You need to consume a certain amount of carbohydrates for your body to function properly. Your brain uses the glucose that comes from carbohydrates as fuel, so without carbohydrates you aren't able to think as clearly or remember things as well as if you consume carbohydrates. However, some types of carbohydrates are more beneficial than others.
Simple versus Complex Carbs
One way to classify carbohydrates is to divide them into simple or complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugars with only 1 or 2 molecules, such as the galactose in milk, the fructose in fruit, glucose and the sucrose in table sugar. Vegetables contain mainly complex carbohydrates, which have long chains of sugars connected together to form starches.
Complex Carbohydrate Benefits
Complex carbohydrates are not broken down as quickly in the body as simple carbohydrates, so they gradually provide you with energy rather than causing a large jump in your blood glucose levels like simple sugars can. They also often contain fiber, which has numerous health benefits, including lowering your risk for health conditions such as constipation, heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
Vegetable Benefits
Vegetables contain no cholesterol and are low in calories and fat. They contain a variety of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C and E, folate and potassium, helping you to meet your recommended intake of these nutrients. Consuming a diet that contains the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables can lower your risk for stroke, heart attack, heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and obesity.
Considerations
Some vegetables do contain a small amount of simple carbohydrates in the form of maltose. To get the most health benefits from your vegetables, consume a variety of vegetables and eat them raw or cook them without adding fatty sauces. Vegetables that are less starchy and lower in calories tend to provide more health benefits than those that are higher in calories.
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