Carbohydrates are a macronutrient. The three macronutrients are carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
Carbohydrates supply our bodies with their main source of fuel: glucose (also known as blood sugar). Yes, we run on sugar but before you head to the cupboard to down a sack of sugar, read on. Our bodies create glucose by breaking down the carbohydrates we eat throughout the day. Our bodies can also create glucose from proteins and fat but it is much more difficult to do and requires a great deal more energy in the form of calories. (It is easy for the body to make sugar from carbs.)
There are two forms of carbohydrates: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
Simple carbs, give us that quick pick-me-up as they’re digested but it doesn’t last. Foods and beverages that are made up of simple carbohydrates won’t make you feel satisfied though and will usually have you hankering for more within an hour.
Some examples of simple carbohydrates are the sugars found naturally in fruits (known as fructose), naturally occurring sugars found in milk (lactose) and all other super sweet sugars like corn syrup, honey, molasses, plain old sugar (dextrose), and high fructose corn syrup.
Complex carbohydrates are also known as starches. They are broken down by our saliva during the digestive process to release the glucose stored in them. The glucose is released a little more slowly than with simple carbs as complex carbs take more time to break down. These provide our bodies with fuel for several hours. For example, oatmeal is a complex carbohydrate and is known for “sticking to our ribs”. But more about that later.
Examples of complex carbohydrates include pasta, whole grains (like oats and wheat), rice, and beans (like soy beans, black beans, and lima beans). Most complex carbs are pretty well packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber. Of course processed or refined grains have been stripped of the outer kernel and, like white flour, have very little of the original fiber or nutrients left in them.
Not all carbohydrates are unhealthy but our society tends to depend on convenience foods and these are nearly always made up of refined carbohydrates. Take a look at the labels on fruit juices in your grocery store someday. Rather than depending upon the naturally occurring fructose from the fruit itself, nearly all of them add high fructose corn syrup. This increases the carbohydrate count in the form of sugars.
When you meet somebody who is watching their carbs, this is the sort of thing they are watching for. These people generally choose whole grain bread or pasta over white bread and pasta, vegetables over fruit and no calorie sweeteners (like Splenda) over sugar.
Hopefully I’ve shed some light on the carbohydrate issue for you. Look for more on carbohydrates in upcoming blogs.