Carbohydrates belong to the group of macronutrients. They consist of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon compounds. The family of carbohydrates can be subdivided into simple, double and multiple sugars. Carbohydrates supply your entire organism with energy that is available at an above-average rate and reaches cells, organs, muscles, tissue, skin and bones immediately.
In addition, the macronutrients serve to maintain your body's muscle mass in a targeted manner. Complex carbohydrates, which are found in nutrient-rich plant-based foods, occupy a special position in the category of carbohydrate compounds.
They contain a high concentration of soluble and insoluble fiber, which aids digestion, provides lasting satiety, stabilizes your blood sugar level, acts as a secret weapon against food cravings, and promotes intestinal health.
Because of their cholesterol-lowering effect, they improve your heart health and lower your individual risk of developing diabetes. Cereals, oats and oat flakes, or porridge and muesli, are full of complex carbohydrates and are therefore perfect for a healthy breakfast.
Carbohydrates – everything you need to know
What exactly are carbohydrates?
The individual macronutrients can be classified as simple, double or multiple sugars depending on their characteristic structure. Simple sugars or short-chain carbohydrates are each made up of one molecule of simple sugar. Whereas disaccharides consist of two molecules of monosaccharides. Complex or long-chain carbohydrates have at least ten monosaccharide molecules each and are considered polysaccharides.
Long-chain carbohydrate compounds concentrate a high content of starch, which your body can use perfectly for energy. Your body converts carbohydrate compounds in the gastrointestinal tract into glucose, which serves as an energy reservoir. Your body has various glycogen stores. If the depots are full, your organism converts the excess carbohydrates into triglycerides, which are stored as fat.
Simple and double sugars are considered to be bad carbohydrates, which cause blood sugar levels to skyrocket and are low in fiber and nutrients. Complex carbohydrates are considered the kings of carbohydrate compounds. They have a low glycemic index, which prevents fluctuations in your blood sugar level. That is why nutritionists call them good carbohydrates, which you should eat regularly.
According to the German Nutrition Society, you should supply your body with carbohydrate compounds every day. Accordingly, 50% of your diet should be carbohydrates. Due to the health-promoting effect of complex carbs, they are essential for a healthy and balanced diet.
Table of good and bad carbohydrates
The good carbohydrates
- Oats
- Oat flakes
- Quinoa
- Amaranth
- Buckwheat
- Pulses
- Whole grain products
- Tiger nuts
- Hemp, chia, flax seeds
The bad carbohydrates
- White flour products
- Refined sugar, household sugar
- Dextrose
- Cornflakes
- Sweet cereals
Carbohydrates from grain
Grain products are a valuable source of complete carbohydrates and complex or long-chain carbohydrates. In addition, they have a high density of vitalizing, cell-protecting and anti-inflammatory vitamins, amino acids, healthy fats and minerals.
Vitamins, minerals, proteins and high-quality fats combine with complex polysaccharides to form healthy “nutrient miracles”. Carbohydrate compounds from grains therefore score points with a combination of health-promoting micro- and macronutrients, the effects of which multiply.
Complex carbs provide you with quickly available energy. Thanks to their low glycemic index, they stabilize your blood sugar level over the long term. The balanced blood sugar level ensures lasting satiation and prevents hunger pangs.
If you regularly supply your body with complex carbs, you ensure a continuous and adequate supply of glucose to your entire organism. In the event of a glucose deficit, your body converts amino acids into glucose. Your body draws the proteins necessary for this from your nutrient depots and breaks down muscle mass. The well-dosed consumption of long-chain carbohydrates from grain products prevents this process.
At the same time, grain products are a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber that aids digestion, boosts detoxification, improves heart health, lowers cholesterol, and reduces your risk of diabetes and colon cancer.
Healthy grain breakfast - discover now
Oatmeal for breakfast - healthy carbohydrates?
Oats are impressive with their high-quality nutritional composition. Consisting of long-chain carbohydrate compounds, they satisfy hunger for a long time because your body needs longer to digest these carbohydrates.
They harmonize blood sugar levels, prevent hunger attacks, provide you with immediately available energy and prevent a possible loss of muscle mass. Packed with soluble fiber, they boost your overall health. Incorporating oats into your diet has been shown to reduce your risk of diabetes, colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
In addition, oats are a reservoir of unsaturated fatty acids that promote cell health. In addition, the flakes are rich in blood-forming iron, immune-stimulating zinc, cell-protecting folic acid, antioxidant vitamin E and bone-strengthening calcium. The “energy vitamins” B2 and B6, along with the minerals copper, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium, complete the list of health-promoting substances found in oat flakes.
Because of their high-quality ingredients, the cereal flakes serve as a healthy breakfast and are an important building block for a healthy diet.
Plenty of energy with porridge
With the help of its high-quality components, porridge reliably replenishes your body's nutrient and energy stores. The combination of selected cereal products, healthy toppings and beneficial fluids without refined sugars boosts your immune system, stimulates your intestinal activity, accelerates the removal of toxins and waste products, promotes cell regeneration and prevents your body from breaking down muscle mass to obtain energy.
The high proportion of complex carbohydrates has a lasting satiating and cholesterol-lowering effect, which promotes controlled and healthy eating behavior. The readily available energy boosts performance, creativity and concentration.
Muesli or crunchy for breakfast
Muesli and crunchy are also full of good nutrients. High-quality crunchy or crunchy muesli, based on delicious recipes, pampers the taste buds, replenishes nutrients and energy and surprises with original variations. Gently baked, nutrient-rich whole grain cereals with a unique crunching effect will enchant every muesli lover.
Muesli is a “breakfast classic” that impresses with high-quality raw material combinations and well thought-out recipes. Only the best organic ingredients are used to make the exquisite mueslis of the Verival brand.
The right toppings
Hemp, flax and chia seeds and almonds are ideal healthy toppings for your nutritious breakfast because of their valuable anti-inflammatory ingredients. Because of their high nutrient density and their proportion of minerals, vitamins and healthy fats, they enhance your porridge or muesli and provide you with more nutrients.
Gluten-free breakfast from Verival
The name Verival stands for certified organic quality, maximum quality awareness, gentle manufacturing processes and selected raw materials. The diverse range includes a varied selection of gluten-free products based on selected cereals, which are explicitly tailored to the specific needs of people with a diagnosed gluten intolerance.
Such products carry the certificate of the “Austrian Society for Coeliac Disease”.
