Carbohydrates :: essays research papers

CarbohydratesFor my health project I did carbohydrates. They atomic number 18 the bodies energy source.Carbohydrates supply the body with the energy it needs to function. They are found almost wholly 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 deuce 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 than complex chains. Complex carbohydrates include fiber and starches. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates include vegetables, whole grains, peas, pasta, potatoes and bea ns. Carbohydrates are the main source of glucose, which is a major force out for all of the bodys cells and the only source of energy for the brain and red cells. Except for fiber, which cannot be digested, both simple and complex carbohydrates are converted into glucose. The glucose is then both 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 whitethorn 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 refine d foods can lead to a number of disorders, including diabetes and hypoglycemia (low sugar). Yet another problem is that foods utmost in refined simple sugars much are also high in fats, which should be limited in a healthy diet. Carbohydrates are the best fuel for athletes because they take less group O to burn than protein or fat. Youll be able to exercise harder, both during training and competition, when you eat enough carbohydrates. Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories.A high carbohydrate diet allows you to train harder by rebuilding your carbohydrate stores and decreasing your recovery time.