Do not fear; the above 3 food items contain the dreaded ‘carbs’.
Carbohydrates (also called ‘saccharides‘) are a ‘macronutrient‘ along with proteins and fats. They are one of the ways the body gains energy to use and are essential for a healthy diet and body since the body is incapable of producing them on its own.
Appearing as sugars, starches, and fibers found in many natural and artificial food items it is easy to see how they can be mislabeled as bad for you – some people go as far as to eliminate it from their diet not knowing what it is.
Taking a closer look at it on the chemical level it is made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Different combinations of these 3 building blocks form the different carbohydrate types, and they are:
Aldehydes: Double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms with a single hydrogen atom.
Ketones: Double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms with two hydrogen atoms.
These two in different combinations form different types of carbohydrates and these are:
Monosaccharides: The smallest unit. Found as glucose (an energy source for cells), galactose (found in milk and dairy products), and fructose (found in fruits and vegetables).
Disaccharides: Formed of two Monosaccharides they are found as lactose (glucose with galactose, found in milk), sucrose (the result of photosynthesis in plants), and maltose (malt sugar, two glucose molecules).
Polysaccharides: Defined as two or more Monosaccharides in a chain these play the role of food storage for animals and plants as well as serving other purposes. The chains can have the appearance of branches or a line. Examples of polysaccharides include Glycogen, Starches, and Cellulose.
For most people this information will fly over their heads. That is why, instead of hearing all of these terms, you may heard of the terms ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ carbohydrates.
Jamika Strefeler
20 Sep 2020Many studies show that low-carb and ketogenic diets can lead to dramatic weight loss and improve most major risk factors for heart disease and… https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-keto-supplements
Spiritual Healing & Health
24 Feb 2021Hi Jamika,
Thanks for sharing, will check it out!