Simple Carbs

Updated February 6, 2026

Simple Carbs digest quickly and raise blood sugar faster than complex carbs.

Examples and use

Food	Use
Fruit, juices	Quick carbs before or after training
Honey, sugar, gels	Fuel during long or hard sessions
Candy, pastries	Limited use; low nutrient density

Choose complex carbs for most meals, then deploy simple carbs strategically using nutrient timing and your goals for glycemic index.

Complex Carbs digest more slowly and often contain fiber and micronutrients.

Glycemic Index (GI) ranks foods by how quickly they raise blood glucose.

Nutrient Timing schedules meals around activity to support performance and recovery.