High Carb, Low Carb... What is a Carbohydrate Anyway?

 

What Is a Carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates are compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen formed by plants. Four types of carbohydrates are important in nutrition -- sugars (simple sugars), and starches, fibers and gums (complex carbohydrates).

Three sugars are made of single molecules called monosaccharides. 

Fructose is fruit sugar. 

Lactose is found in milk. 

Glucose is the type of sugar your body likes best for energy. 

Table sugar is a disaccharide, which is a two-molecule sugar made up of fructose and glucose. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is similar to sucrose because it is a mixture of fructose and glucose, though there is slightly more fructose than glucose in HFCS as compared to table sugar.

Starches are complex chains of glucose and some starches include other sugars. The chains can form long strands or they can branch out, like a tree. 

Plants use starch to store energy. Some plants, like potatoes and corn, have a lot of starch, while some vegetables like green beans and spinach don't have as much. More starch means more calories.

Fiber is a form of carbohydrate that your body can't digest. You might have heard about two types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibers are found in fruits, flax seeds, and oats. Soluble fiber will help reduce cholesterol, and will slow down the absorption of sugar into your blood. Insoluble fibers are found in whole grains and help keep your digestive system healthy.  

Gums are carbohydrates that are often used as fillers and thickeners such as carageenan and guar gum. 

High Carb or Low Carb - Which is Better?

As far as weight loss diets go, there doesn't seem to be any long term difference between a low carbohydrate diet or a low fat diet. Perhaps the best way to achieve a healthy weight is to watch your calorie intake which includes choosing healthy carbohydrate sources such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables while avoiding the high calorie sugar-sweetened foods.

Here's a few tips for managing your carbohydrate intake.

Choose fresh fruits instead of candy or cookies. 

Buy 100% whole grain bread and pasta instead of regular white bread and pasta.

Eat lots of green and brightly colored vegetables every day. 

Substitute raw crunchy vegetables for greasy chips. 

Stay away from sugar-sweetened beverages. Drink water, herbal teas, and 100% fruit or vegetable juice.

Start your meals with a healthy salad or broth-based soup -- this helps fill you up and makes it easier to skip the sugary dessert.

By Shereen Jegtvig