ABSTRACT
Historically, carbohydrates were classied only on the basis of their chemical structure into two categories: complex carbohydrates and simple sugars. Complex carbohydrates, such as those in bread and potatoes, were believed to be digested and absorbed slowly in the body, resulting in a gradual rise in postprandial blood glucose concentration. Conversely, simple sugars, such as table sugar and those in fruit, were thought to cause a rapid rise in glycemic response.
