Yes, sugar is a carbohydrate
Carbohydrates can be simple sugars or complex starches like potatoes or rice and provide the fuel to power your brain, organs and muscles.
The difference relates to how quickly the food is digested and its chemical make up.
Sugars can be categorised as single sugars (monosaccharides), which include glucose, fructose and galactose, or double sugars (disaccharides), which include sucrose (table sugar), lactose and maltose.
Complex carbohydrates, also known as polysaccharides, are starches formed by longer saccharide chains, which means they take longer to break down. Chemically, they usually comprise of three or more linked sugars.
Health professionals may recommend including more complex carbohydrates in your diet.
Rather than filling up on treats like cakes and pastries (e.g. simple sugars and highly refined carbohydrates), try to choose more unrefined foods. Complex, unrefined carbohydrates such as wholegrain foods and starchy vegetables are more slowly absorbed in the gut than refined carbohydrate.
