Carbohydrates are compounds made of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. In food, there are two types of carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are monosaccharides and disaccharides, which are usually sweet. All carbohydrates are broken down to monosaccharides so the intestines can absorb them. The three monosaccharides are glucose, fructose and galactose.
Fructose comes from fruit and honey, and raises blood sugar more slowly than glucose.
There is less of an immediate insulin response. Galactose comes from milk. Glucose is the end product of the digestion of starches, and is the form of sugar that circulates in our blood stream. Starches that contain fiber will be digested more slowly and also have less of an effect on the insulin response. Many foods contain carbohydrates, but their water, fiber and nutrient contents differ greatly.