Simple and Complex

Carbohydrates
Katharine Rosenthal & Mary DiGioia
KSC Dietetic Interns
Objectives
Students will identify…

● 1 source of carbohydrate
● 2 sources of added sugars and 2 sources of natural
sugars
Icebreaker: CHO or LOW?
● Break into 2 teams and form 2 lines
● First person in line will grab a food item and put it in
one of two buckets
● If the food has carbohydrates put it in the “CHO” bucket
● If the food has a small amount or no carbohydrates put
it in the “Low” bucket
● High five the next person in line and then it is their turn!
So, What Are Carbohydrates?
● Found in the foods we eat, then broken down by our bodies into sugars
● Give us energy
● Some types of carbohydrates give us longer lasting energy than other types
Complex Carbohydrates
● Bigger sugar molecules that break down slower in the body
● Give us longer lasting energy
● Can you come up with examples of complex carbohydrates?
Simple Carbohydrates
● Smaller sugar molecule that breaks down quickly in the body
● Provide us with a quick burst of energy
● What are some sources of simple carbohydrates?
Let’s Review CHO or LOW!
Which ones are carbohydrates? Which ones are low in CHO? Are you surprised?

Which ones do you think are complex? Which ones do you think are simple?
What’s The Difference?
If strawberries and cookies are simple carbohydrates, what is the difference
between them? Which ones are more beneficial for our health?
Added Sugars
● Not naturally present in food
● What do you think are some sources of added sugar?
Natural Sugars
● Found naturally in foods
● Typically the foods that contain natural sugars are a good source of fiber,
vitamins, and minerals
○ Keep our body feeling great and filled with energy!
● Can you think of any examples of natural sugars?
Activity: Sugar or Natural Sugar?
● Break into 2 teams and form 2 lines
● First person in line will grab a food item and put it in one of
two buckets
● If the food has natural sugars put it in the “natural sugar”
bucket
● If the food has added sugars put it in the “added sugar”
bucket
● High five the next person in line and then it is their turn!
Let’s Review Added or Natural?
Which ones are added and which ones are natural?

Were you surprised?