Carbohydrates, everything you should know….

Carbohydrates are sugar molecules. Along with protein and fat, carbohydrates are one of the three most important nutrients found in food and drink.

Your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose, or blood sugar, is the main source of energy for the body’s cells, tissues, and organs. Glucose can be used immediately or stored in the liver and muscles for later use.

Types of Carbohydrates:

1. Sugars: They are also called simple carbohydrates because they are in their simplest form. They can be added to foods like sugar in candy, desserts, processed foods, and soft drinks. They also include sugars found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and milk.

1. Starch: These are complex carbohydrates made up of many simple sugars linked together. Your body needs to break down starch into sugar for energy. Starches include bread, cereal, and pasta. They also include some vegetables such as potatoes, peas and corn.

1. Fiber: This is also a complex carbohydrate. Your body can’t break down most of the fiber, so eating foods that contain fiber can help you feel full and reduce your risk of overeating. A high fiber diet has other health benefits. They can help prevent gastrointestinal problems like constipation. They can also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Fiber is found in many plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains.

What kind of carbs should I eat?

 You need to eat some carbohydrates to give your body energy. But it is important for your health to eat the right types of carbohydrates:

1. Whole grains: These are foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat flour and oats. They provide many nutrients that the body needs, such as vitamins, minerals and fiber. To determine if a product is high in whole grains, check the ingredient list on the package to see if whole grains are listed first.
2. Refined grains: These are foods that have had part of the grain removed. It also removes some nutrients that are good for your health.

How many carbs should I eat? 

There is no single amount of carbohydrates that people should consume. This amount can vary depending on your age, gender, health, and whether you are trying to lose or gain weight. On average, people should get 45-65% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. The Nutrition Facts label lists the total daily carbohydrates as 275 grams per serving. day. It is based on a 2000 calorie per day diet. day. Your daily dose may be higher or lower depending on your caloric needs and your state of health.

Recommendations:

• Choose high-fiber foods: Nutrition Facts labels on the back of food packages indicate the fiber content of the product.
• Try to avoid foods with a lot of added sugar: these foods can be high in calories but low in nutritional value. Eating too much added sugar can raise your blood sugar and cause you to gain weight. You can tell if a food or drink has added sugar by looking at the Nutrition Facts label on the back of the food package. Indicate the amount of total and added sugar in the food or drink