Carbohydrate FactsThe purpose of this short article is to outline key carbohydrate facts; with a view to helping you better understand their purpose in the diet. The role of carbohydrate (carbs) in the diet is to provide energy for the body, in addition to providing small amounts of fibre. Carbohydrates contain 4 Calories per gram of weight and naturally form as two varieties. Simple Carbohydrates (sugars) and Complex Carbohydrates (starch). Both forms of Carbohydrates are made from clusters of Carbon and Hydrogen atoms. Simple Carbohydrates are formed from short chains of molecules, where as complex carbs comprise of long molecule chains. The length of the chain determines how quickly the carbohydrates are broken down and absorbed by the body - the longer the chain, the slower its digested and absorbed by the body. Further carbohydrate facts include simple carbohydrate or sugars being most commonly found in sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate and sugary drinks, Complex carbohydrate are predominantly found in whole grain foods, breads, pasta, potatoes, rice and vegetables. The difference between the two is that simple sugars provide NOTHING but energy for the body, where as complex carbohydrates also provide fibre The body’s cells are capable of deriving energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins, BUT, for the most part, a mixture of fat and carbohydrates are used. The exceptions to this are the cells of the brain - which can ONLY derive energy from carbohydrate, in the form of glucose. When carbohydrate is consumed, the digestive process breaks it down into smaller glucose molecules, where it is absorbed into the blood from the small intestine and transported around the body as blood sugar. To allow blood sugar to be absorbed by the body from the blood, a hormone called Insulin is released from the pancreas, whose job is to transport the blood glucose into the body’s tissues. The amount of insulin produced, depends on how quickly blood glucose levels rise. The higher and more rapid the increase, the greater the release of insulin, which in turn leads to more rapid drop in blood sugar. Notably, the more simple a sugar or carbohydrate is, the faster it is digested and absorbed and so causes the greatest insulin release. Due to the abundance of Insulin, blood sugar levels drop rapidly - which in turn causes feelings of fatigue. This is one of the biggest, key, carbohydrate facts and explains why some people who eat a lot of sugary foods often experience peaks and troughs in energy throughout the day.
Some additional carbohydrate facts centre around the body's ability to store a certain amount of carbohydrates as a substance called Glycogen within the liver and muscles. An average person stores 100g of Carbohydrate or Glycogen in the liver, while approximately 275g - 400g are stored within the muscles. These stores act as an emergency back up in the event of restricted carbohydrate consumption, such as when fasting, or during long periods of physical activity. Due to the fact that carbohydrate/glycogen stores are limited, once the stores are full, any carbohydrates that are eaten and not used for energy purposes are stored on the body as FAT. Too Many or Not Enough Carbs?A shortage of Carbohydrates within the body can lead to poor concentration, irritability, low blood sugar, fatigue, low energy, constipation and in some cases coma, and potentially death.A continued excessive consumption of carbohydrates can lead to weight (FAT) gain, diabetes, high cholesterol, fatigue and bloating. In summary, carbohydrates of recent have suffered a hard time in the media with the low carb craze. BUT carbohydrates play a key role in our diet, especially when leading busy lifestyles, but as with any nutrient, our consumption should match our needs to ensure balance, and optimal health is achieved. If you would like to take the guess work out of formulating a healthy, balanced diet, why not see how little it costs to enlist in my nutritional services by checking out My Price Information
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