|
What Are Carbohydrates
The
dictionary (www.freedictionary.com/carbohydrate)
defines carbohydrates as, "any of a group of organic compounds that
include sugars, starches, cellulose, and gums and serves as a major
energy source in the diet of animals. These compounds are produced by
photosynthetic plants and contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen,
usually in the ratio 1:2:1." It further says, "…it is an essential
structural component of living cells and source of energy for animals;
includes simple sugars with small molecules as well as macromolecular
substance; are classified according to the number of monosaccharide
groups they contain."
Carbohydrates are a broad category of sugars, starches and fiber that
our bodies (and the bodies of animals) use to make energy. Carbohydrates
are classified into two major categories, i.e. simple carbohydrates and
complex carbohydrates. The simple carbohydrates are glucose (the
smallest form of carbohydrates), fructose (from fruit and vegetables),
sucrose (sugar cane and beetroot), and lactose (from milk). The complex
carbohydrates consist of large glucose molecules and generally come from
fiber (legumes and whole grains).
As per the
above classification, the carbohydrates are compartmentalized into mono
carbohydrates, di-carbohydrates, poly-carbohydrates and
heterosaccharides. The latter is sub-divided into monosaccharides (which
are also the smallest carbohydrates) and polysaccharides, which have no
pre-determined measurements. It is interesting to note that the term
carbohydrates comes from putting together the elements that these
consist of, i.e. carbon and the hydrogen-oxygen composition of water,
H2O. The formula of the carbohydrates is Cn(H2O)n.
What Is
The Role Of Carbohydrates In Our Bodies?
The main
role of carbohydrates is to provide energy to the body. The body uses
the carbohydrates after transforming them into glucose, a compound that
can be absorbed in the blood and then fed to the various body tissues as
required for their function. When the body is faced with an excess
production of glucose, it stores the extra glucose in the form of
glycogen in the liver and muscle cells. Once the storage capacity is
filled up, the left-out glucose is transformed into fat.
People who
exercise use the glycogen stored in the reserves of the liver and
muscles first. If and when the exercises require more energy than that
fuelled by the glycogen available in body store houses, the fat
available in the body is used to keep the activity going. Hence,
vigorous exercise helps our body loose its fat content.
Where
are Carbohydrates Found?
The most
obvious source of carbohydrates is definitely sugar. This element is
generally ingested through a number of foods that we take, such as
candy, ice cream, cakes, aerated drinks, jams, tea, coffee, etc. In rare
cases, people take sugar directly.
You will
find a number of foods that are rich in carbohydrates:
-
Natural sugars or sugar
carbohydrates: These types are generally found in natural food
humans consume, such as milk, fruits, sugar cane, and even
vegetables.
-
Starch carbohydrates:
These types would be found in cereals, tubers, roots, etc. Examples
of starch carbohydrates are rice, bread, pasta, noodles, potatoes,
tapioca, and yams.
-
Fiber carbohydrates:
these types of carbohydrates are of two types, i.e. soluble (starch)
and insoluble (fiber) types. You will find these mainly in whole
grain cereals, most plant food (fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc).
What Are
The Carbohydrates You Should Avoid?
Carbohydrates form a critical part of our diet. Contrary to the popular
belief, one does not put on weight simply because they consume
carbohydrates. In fact, carbohydrates contribute less to the fat build
up in our body than other types of foods, for example alcohol or fat.
Weight gain occurs when the carbohydrates are consumed in excess, and as
all excesses, this one too is bad for your health.
The
carbohydrates that should be avoided are the refined sugar
carbohydrates. You will find this type of carbs in foods such as soft
drinks, ice creams, cookies, syrups, etc. The sugar that we consume in
our day-to-day life is one of the most refined sugars, and refined sugar
is very bad for our health.
order organic meat
Get a Great Food Delivery Service
|
