Carbohydrates, found in all plant-based foods, are your body's main source of energy. They provide 4 calories per gram and come in many forms such as simple sugars, starches and fiber. The term "good" carbs refers to carbohydrate-rich foods that have much nutritional value such as vitamins and minerals. Different types of plant-based foods contain different ratios of simple sugars, starches and fiber. Some have high fiber content with little simple sugar content or vice versa.
Starch
Starches are made up of a huge network of sugar molecules that are joined together by strong carbon and hydrogen bonds. It is the storage site of energy for plants. Foods that are high in starch include root and tuberous vegetables such as carrots, yams and potatoes, and whole-grain cereals and breads. Since your body requires more energy to digest starch, your body absorbs this sugar at a slower rate than simple sugars.
Fiber
Although your body cannot digest dietary fiber and use it for energy, dietary fiber has many benefits for you. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and becomes a viscous solution in your intestines that slows the absorption of sugars and other nutrients. Insoluble fiber passes through your gut unchanged and it absorbs cholesterol in your intestines from bile acids. With the reduction of bile acids in your digestive tract, your body extracts cholesterol from your bloodstream and into your liver to make more bile acids. Thus, dietary fiber reduces your cholesterol level as well as prevents constipation and overeating. Good sources of fiber include whole-grain breads and cereals, oatmeal, celery, broccoli and barley.
Glucose
Glucose consists of a single sugar molecule that is easily digested and absorbed in your body. You can obtain glucose from almost every plant-based food such as fruits, whole-grain bread and brown rice. This type of carbohydrate is ideal for replenishing glucose levels after heavy exercise.
Misconceptions
Eating carbohydrates will not make you fat unless you eat more than your body can use, explains sports dietitian Ellen Coleman, author of "Ultimate Sports Nutrition." Initially, your body stores excess carbohydrates in the form of glycogen in your muscles and liver, much like how plants store excess carbohydrates in the form of starch. Once your storage capacity runs out, excess carbohydrates are converted to fat which is stored in your adipose tissues.
References
- "Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition, and Human Performance"; William McArdle; 2001
- "Ultimate Sports Nutrition"; Ellen Coleman; 2004
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