Carbohydrates are one of the main nutrients present in the food. Carbohydrates are known to provide sufficient energy to the body that helps in carrying the daily functions. When you eat food items containing carbohydrates, your digestive system changes these carbohydrates into glucose. The converted glucose is also referred to as blood sugar. The sugar provides energy to the cells, tissues and organs of your body. The excess of sugar formed by carbohydrates is stored in the liver and muscles and utilized whenever the body needs it.
Carbohydrates are present in foods such as fruits, vegetables and milk products. These carbohydrates are called simple carbohydrates. The complex carbohydrates include whole grain breads, cereals, starchy vegetables and legumes. Carbohydrates are considered as good source of fiber.
Types of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates can be categorized into three groups
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Sugar
Sugar is the simplest and most common form of carbohydrates. Sugar occurs in many foods like milk, milk derivatives, fruits and vegetables. The available form of sugar in the body is lactose, fructose and sucrose. These forms of sugar provide the energy required by your body to perform daily activities.
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Starch
Starch contains large number of glucose units. Starch is naturally present in many foods like rice, beans, peas and other grains.
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Fiber
Fiber is made up of bonded sugar. Fibers in the food play a major role in digestion process. Fiber is naturally present in certain vegetables, whole grains, peas and beans.
Healthy carbohydrates in the food
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Whole grains
Whole grains like oatmeal and breads are low in sugar. While selecting grains for the morning breakfast, choose a cereal that contains at least 4 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams of sugar.
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Fresh juices
Fresh juices like orange juice have two times much fiber and sufficient sugar required by your body. Drinking a glass of orange juice helps in making up the quantity of sugar and fiber per day.
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Vegetables
Vegetables like potato are rich in carbohydrates. Potatoes results in weight gain. Beans are better when compared to potato as beans contain a good source of digestive carbohydrates. Beans are also rich in proteins.
Benefits of carbohydrate rich diet
There are many benefits of carbohydrate rich diet like:
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Provides energy
The most common and essential benefit of consuming high carbohydrate diet is, it provide energy to your body. Energy is required for performing daily activities. Every simple activity requires energy. Glucose supplies energy to the body. Your body consume acquires glucose by the food you eat on a daily basis.
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Prevent disease
Fibrous rich diet also helps in fighting certain diseases like type 2 diabetes and obesity. Fiber content present in the food helps in digestion and balances the cholesterol levels in the body.
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Balance weight
You might have heard that carbohydrates are responsible for weight gain in most of the people all around the globe. The fact is that it can help you in reducing and controlling weight. Proper selection of carbohydrates in the diet helps in balancing and reducing the weight. There are many carbohydrates that results in weight gain. But avoiding such carbohydrates and selecting the good carbohydrates is must to lose weight and for a better and healthy life.
Atefa Noorain
Connect with Atefa NoorainAtefa Noorain, (Microbiologist) former Head of the Department of Life Sciences, Assistant Professor of Microbiology at Sujatha Degree College for Women. She worked as an Associate Research Analyst at Thomson Reuters and an Associate Editor of two research journals. She has presented her research work in 3 International Conferences. She has written articles for national journals and international journals. She had been felicitated as a Young Speaker in the last conference. She has worked on Nanoparticles as a part of her research project and won the Best Scientist of the Day award.
