Understanding About Carbohydrates
Updated: Jun 30, 2020
Carbohydrates are the natural occuring nutrition, which in the simple words gives us energy. Every fruits or vegetables do contains carbohydrates.
Other then fruits and vegetables, processed foods also do contain carbohydrates. But do all carbs same?
Understanding carbohydrates in the field of nutritional is very much controversial, where some say carbs are bad but other says they are the fuel for brain.
Here, let's understand that do carbohydrates helps us or not, using scientific research evidence.
In a the field of nutrition everyone say's that having less carbs helps you lose tremendous amount of weight. Where keto diet originated, this diet contain very low to no carbs and high fats and protein contain. Which don't seems to be done for the long run.
Some believe in having low amount of carbs, other says having High carbs helps in high performance and some believe having carbs in moderation helps is the way to go.
No matter what, one cannot deny that combining all three macro nutrients plays an important role in developing the body's health. So let's understand about carbohydrates.
Types Of Carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides Types Of Carbohydrates:
Monosaccharides, also called simple sugar, are the simplest form of sugar and the most basic units of carbohydrates. They cannot be further hydrolyzed to simpler chemical compounds.
Like Galactose, found in milk or diary product and fructose found in fruits and vegetables.
Disaccharides Types Of Carbohydrates
A disaccharide is the sugar formed when two monosaccharides are joined by glycosidic linkage. Like monosaccharides, disaccharides are soluble in water. Three common examples are sucrose, lactose, and maltose.
Polysaccharides Types Of Carbohydrates
Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds. Three important polysaccharides, starch, glycogen, and cellulose, are composed of glucose. Starch and glycogen serve as short-term energy stores in plants and animals, respectively
Simple Carbohydrates Vs Complex Carbohydrates
For a quick note Monosaccharides and disaccharides are simple carbohydrates, and polysaccharides are complex.
Simple Carbohydrates:
Simple carbohydrates are just sugar and have only one or two molecules present on it. This types of carbohydrates provide quick energy. This types of carbohydrates are high in glycemic Index (GI) and spikes insulin quickly which leads to break down glucose easily and get it into the blood streams. As the insulin spikes decreases rapidly due to the quick flow of glucose into the blood stream, one can feel hungry more Sooner.
Examples : White bread, Candies, Suger Etc.
Complex Carbohydrates:
Complex carbs are long chain carbohydrates and have different structure. This carbohydrates have other minerals present in it and slowly get digested into the gut. The whole grain foods are complex carbohydrates with fibers contain in it. This carbohydrates are low in glycemic Index (GI) and because of high fibre contain, insulin spike decrease and foods get converted into glucose slowly. Therefore one can feel full for long after having complex carbohydrates.
This carbohydrates are the healthiest form of carbs because of the minerals and vitamins present in it with fibers and have many health benefits.
Example : fruits, whole grains, vegetables etc.
As we have understood the types of carbohydrates, having too much of bad or simple carbohydrates leads to obesity.
In our another blog we will know more about how carbohydrates leads to Obesity and diabetes.
Learning About Nutrition In Carbohydrates:
As carbohydrates is the most common source of energy, carbohydrates like bread, pasta, beans, potato, and cereals are the carbohydrates reach foods.
We humans can do generate energy from fats and proteins as a form of ketones if we have to but, carbohydrates in the form of glucose is the main source of fuel for brain and muscle strength.
Less carbohydrates leads to early fatigue in muscles as well.
All macro nutrients have their own calories count, as we discussed more about all the micronutrients you get to know about their structure in more detail form.
One gram of carbohydrates have 4calories, Protein also have same 4 calories per 1gram but fats have 9 calories per one garm.
Calories : It is described as how much energy a food have to give your body a energy. Our body's working energy is said to as calories.
Carbohydrates have some important functions as well.
Our brain need carbohydrates to work efficiently, because neurones cannot burn fat
Dietary fibre present in carbohydrate helps to digest food easily
Carbohydrates helps in muscle strength and reduce early fatigue
Carbohydrate helps to be in happy mood
Carbohydrates preserve muscles strength
Carbohydrates keeps heart health
We will discuss this things, in details in our upcoming blogs.
The United States (U.S.) Dietary Guidelines 2015-202 recommended obtaining 45 to 65 percent of energy needs from carbohydrates, and a maximum of 10 percent should come from simple carbohydrates, in other words, glucose and simple sugars.
Understanding:
carbohydrates can leads to diabetes and obesity if we consume more amount of simple carbohydrates, like junk foods. Sticking to complex carbohydrates helps you to lose weight and keep you healthy.