What are Carbohydrates

Our body requires a constant supply of essential nutrients for normal growth and development. Carbohydrates, fats and proteins form the principal food components that are necessary for keeping the body running. All these macro-nutrients enter the body through our diet and are responsible for several important functions. Deficiency or excess of these nutrients can create an imbalance, resulting in certain health problems.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a class of chemical compounds that are found in the living organisms. They form the principal source of energy for the human body, as they can be easily and efficiently broken down into glucose, which is readily absorbed in the blood stream. Glucose is transported to the different parts of the body and serves as a fuel for performing different functions.

What are Carbohydrates Made of?
Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, with a general chemical formula of C_m(H₂O)_n. They comprise sugars, starches and cellulose. Sugar, or saccharide is the fundamental unit of carbohydrates. During the process of metabolism, carbohydrates are broken down into their basic units, to release energy. This energy is used by the cells to perform different functions.

How are Carbohydrates Classified?
Carbohydrates are classified into two main types based on their chemical structure - simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.

Simple Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates that consist of just one or two sugar units are known as simple carbohydrates or simple sugars. Simple sugars are sweet in taste and are easy to digest. They are further classified into monosaccharides or disaccharides according to the number of sugar units they contain. Monosaccharides are individual sugars like glucose, fructose and galactose and contain three to six carbon atoms. Disaccharides consist of two covalently joined sugar units. Some examples of disaccharides are lactose, sucrose and maltose. Here is a list of carbohydrates foods containing monosaccharides and disaccharides.

• Milk
• Honey
• Corn syrup
• Table sugar
• Candy
• Yogurt
• Chocolate
• Fruits
• Biscuits
• Soft drinks
• Sweets and Snack bars
• Pizzas
• Cakes

Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates are long chains formed by simple sugar units bonded to each other by covalent bonds. These carbohydrates take a longer time for digestion as they have to be broken down into simpler sugar units, by the digestive enzymes. This results in slower absorption of sugars which provides a steady supply of energy. Now you must be wondering what are complex carbohydrates foods? Here comes the complex carbohydrates list. Have a look at it. foods.

• Oatmeal
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Radish
• Artichokes
• Celery
• Broccoli
• Plums
• Apples
• Pears
• Oranges
• Grapefruits
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Brown rice

What Carbohydrates do for your Body?
As I said earlier, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates are broken down into glucose which is the main source of fuel for daily activity. The brain solely depends on carbohydrates for energy and hence it is very important to consume adequate carbohydrates on a daily basis. When energy is not required, it is stored in the form of glycogen, in the liver and muscles. When the glucose level is low, the stored glycogen is broken down and energy is supplied to the cells. If your body does not have glycogen reserve, the energy will be obtained at the expense of proteins, that are present in the muscle tissues. Carbohydrates also participate in the synthesis of lipids, nucleic acids, and some co-enzymes. They play a significant role in the metabolism of amino acids. Complex carbohydrates provide a steady supply of energy and hence are an excellent source of fuel for the muscles, especially during exercises.

This was all about carbohydrates. Now that you know what are carbohydrates and how important they are for our body, make sure to consume adequate amounts of carbohydrates daily!