If you got out of the habit of eating carbs during the low-carb diet craze or if you're just looking for ways to improve your overall diet, carbs may surprise you. Not only are carbs an OK part of a healthy diet, but they're essential to your healthy diet, explains the University of Connecticut Department of Nutritional Sciences and State Department of Education.
Identification
Carbohydrates, along with protein and fat, are an essential macronutrient. Many foods contain carbohydrates, including grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, dairy products and sugars. Though low-carb weight loss plans have become popular, many carb-rich foods are low in fat and calories. For instance, non-starchy vegetables, such as lettuce, carrots and tomatoes, only have about 195 calories per pound. Cooked hot cereals, such as oatmeal or polenta, have between 242 and 281 calories per pound. Cooked brown rice has around 488 calories per pound, according to Food and Health Communications, which counts calories by the pound to compare calorie density. Potato chips, on the other hand, have an estimated 2,450 calories per pound, and sweetened dry cereal has about 1,700 calories per pound.
Benefits
Most of the energy that your body uses each day for everything from breathing to exercising comes from carbohydrates. Each gram of carbohydrates you consume gives your body four calories of energy, which can be easily used by your body. Extra carbohydrates can be stored in your muscles for exercise. In addition, carbohydrates are part of a balanced diet--eating them helps ensure that you're getting the right amount of nutrients to stay healthy.
Significance
Carb-rich foods are the best source for some essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, vitamins C and E, phytochemicals including carotenoids, most B vitamins and most essential trace minerals, explains Food and Health Communications, a health information resource working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Low levels of these essential nutrients can increase your risk for serious health problems, including osteoporosis, heart disease and high blood pressure.
Expert Insight
There's no recommended daily allowance for carbs, but carbs should make up the bulk of your diet--between 40 and 60 percent, according to the University of Connecticut Department of Nutritional Sciences and State Department of Education. It's important to make sure you're eating the right kinds of carbs: Simple carbs, such as fructose from an apple or lactose from a glass of milk, are a better choice than foods with added sugar in the form of corn syrup or sweeteners in beverages. Most of your carb intake should come from complex carbs, such as whole grains.
Warning
If your diet includes fewer than 130 grams of carbs per day, it could cause health problems, warns the Weight-Loss Information Network, an information service powered by the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Carb levels this low can cause partially broken-down fats to build up in your blood, putting you at risk for gout and kidney stones.
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