Simple carbohydrates are types of sugar content found in certain foods. Specifically, a simple carbohydrate is a sweetener that is classified as a monosaccharide or a disaccharide. Some common examples of simple carbohydrates are glucose, sucrose and lactose.

There are a number of foods that contain simple carbohydrates. Fresh fruit is one of the best sources of carbohydrates that fall into this category. Berries, grapefruit, apples, and pears all provide a quick lift without adding a lot of calories to the body. For this reason, natural sources of simple carbohydrates are often recommended for people who are trying to lose weight.

However, there is another grouping of simple carbohydrates that is not considered helpful with the task of losing weight. These include processed foods. Among these are such foods as fudge, cakes, and any type of candy. The carbohydrate content in processed foods is what usually gives simple carbohydrates their reputation as bad carbs, since the carb content of these types of foods also includes a great deal of calories.

Along with people who are trying to lose weight, anyone who is attempting to manage blood glucose levels should understand the nature of simple carbohydrates. While it is true that people who are in a pre-diabetic state or have developed a full-blown case of diabetes must monitor carb intake, it is important to make intelligent choices about the types of carbs that are consumed. For this reason, many diabetics who control their condition with the use of diet will allow themselves to enjoy a limited amount of simple carbohydrates from a natural source, but will avoid the intake of carbs from processed foods like cakes and candy.

In general, simple carbohydrates from natural sources are easier on the body than carb intake from processed foods. Even people who are not attempting to lose weight or need to manage blood glucose levels with diet will find that obtaining simple carbohydrates from fresh fruit will help provide the body with energy without leading to the rapid decrease in energy that often takes place a short time after consuming simple carbs from processed foods.