Simple sugars such as grape sugar (glucose), fruit sugar (fructose) and table sugar (sucrose) are made up of one or two molecules. More complex sugars include corn starch, which contains several hundred glucose molecules, and the starch found in potatoes and different types of bananas.

Starch is therefore a complex sugar. It is very important in the production of energy in the human body, which utilises it in several ways. The digestive enzymes in the intestines are much more active in the absorption of complex sugars. The body’s slow absorption of these carbohydrates limits the amount of sugar that is converted and stored as fat.

A banana’s biochemical composition and nutritional value are comparable with those of a potato. However, the carbohydrates of a ripe banana are better assimilated than the starch in potatoes, which makes this fruit particularly interesting.