complex carbs

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I found this information on line. I thought it would be a good refersher on

carbs.

Carole

Nutrition

The Four Basic Nutrients

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates supply the body with the energy it needs to function. They are

found almost exclusively in plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, peas,

and beans. Milk and milk products are the only foods derived from animals

that contain a significant amount of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are divided into two groups-simple carbohydrates and complex

carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates, sometimes called simple sugars, include

fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (table sugar), and lactose (milk sugar), as

well as several other sugars. Fruits are one of the richest natural sources

of simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are also made up of sugars,

but the sugar molecules are strung together to form longer, more complex

chains. Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches. Foods rich in

complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, peas, and beans.

Carbohydrates are the main source of blood glucose, which is a major fuel for

all of the body's cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red

blood cells. Except for fiber, which cannot be digested, both simple and

complex carbohydrates are converted into glucose. The glucose is then either

used directly to provide energy for the body, or stored in the liver for

future use. When a person consumes more calories than the body is using, a

portion of the carbohydrates consumed may also be stored in the body as fat.

When choosing carbohydrate-rich foods for your diet, always select unrefined

foods such as fruits, vegetables, peas, beans, and whole-grain products, as

opposed to refined, processed foods such as soft drinks, desserts, candy, and

sugar. Refined foods offer few, if any, of the vitamins and minerals that are

important to your health. In addition, if eaten in excess, especially over a

period of many years, the large amounts of simple carbohydrates found in

refined foods can lead to a number of disorders, including diabetes and

hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Yet another problem is that foods high in

refined simple sugars often are also high in fats, which should be limited in

a healthy diet. This is why such foods-which include most cookies and cakes,

as well as many snack foods-are usually loaded with calories.

Dietary fiber is the part of a plant that is resistant to the body's

digestive enzymes. Only a relatively small amount of fiber is digested or

metabolized in the stomach or intestines. Most of it moves through the

gastrointestinal tract and ends up in the stool.

Although most fiber is not digested, it delivers several important health

benefits. First, fiber retains water, resulting in softer and bulkier stools

that prevent constipation and hemorrhoids. A high-fiber diet also reduces the

risk of colon cancer, perhaps by speeding the rate at which stool passes

through the intestine and by keeping the digestive tract clean. In addition,

fiber binds with certain substances that would normally result in the

production of cholesterol, and eliminates these substances from the body. In

this way, a high-fiber diet helps lower blood cholesterol levels, reducing

the risk of heart disease.

It is recommended that about 60 percent of your total daily calories come

from carbohydrates. If much of your diet consists of healthy complex

carbohydrates, you should easily fulfill the recommended daily minimum of 25

grams of fiber.