Carbohydrates
All foods fall into three categories: Fat, Protein and Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the fastest foods to be digested. Carbohydrate-rich foods are the primary source of energy for all body functions that's why eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates is necessary for most people. Many carbohydrate-rich foods are loaded with other nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are not only great carbohydrate sources, they're also excellent suppliers of vitamins A and C and many other vitamins and minerals. Most dairy products are also great sources of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which supply the brain and body with energy. When you eat carbohydrate foods, insulin levels rise, tryptophan is created to make the brain chemical, serotonin.
Most medical experts say that 60 percent of the calories you eat every day should come from carbohydrates. For example, if you need 1800 calories per day then you need 1080 calories from carbohydrates(i.e. 60% of 1800=(60/100)*1800=1080)
There are five kinds of foods that are classified as carbohydrates: Fruits, Grains (bread, cereals, flours, pastas), Milk products(except cheese), Sugars: fructose, maltose, refined white sugar and sucrose and vegetables (leafy and root).
Carbohydrates take the form of sugars, oligosaccharides, starches and fibres and are one of the three major macro-nutrients which supply the body with energy (fat and protein being the others). There is now good evidence that at least 55% of our daily calories should come from carbohydrates. It is important to maintain an appropriate balance between calorie intake and expenditure. scientific studies suggest that:
- Dietary fibre, which is a carbohydrate, helps keep the bowel functioning correctly Fiber is a very important form of carbohydrate. Only a relatively small amount of fiber is digested so most of it moves through the gastrointestinal tract and end up in the stool. A high-fiber diet helps prevent constipation and colon cancer, perhaps by speeding the rate at which wastes pass through the system and by keeping it clean. 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 helps lower blood cholesterol levels, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.
- Starch and sugars provide readily accessible fuel for physical performance
- A diet containing an optimum level of carbohydrates may help prevent body fat accumulation