Carbohydrates, nutrient compounds found in foods like grains, come in an assortment of shapes and forms. The primary types are fibers, starches and sugars. A carbohydrate's building block is a sugar molecule. Though carb-cutting diets have become a fad, and some people might frown on carbohydrate consumption, carbs give you energy and are essential for survival.
Energy Provider
Potatoes, bread, pasta and beans all contain carbohydrates. Some people shy away from these foods, but carbohydrates are actually good for you. Even fruits and vegetables have carbs in them. Carbohydrates provide your whole body -- muscles, cells and brain -- with precious energy. Nutritionist Patti Milligan states, "Many people are chucking all carbs into the nasty category, which is absolutely wrong." The trick is to determine which carbs are healthy to eat.
Simple vs. Complex
Table sugar, or sucrose, and fruit sugar, or fructose, are considered simple carbs. Complex carbs are constructed of three or more sugars linked together. The complex carbs are considered the healthier of the two groups, but your body deals with both types the same way. The body digests them and attempts to break up the carbs into single sugar molecules that can then pass into the bloodstream. The difference, health-wise, is in how fast your body digests the carbs.
Bad or Good Carbs
People tend to look at simple carbs as "bad" and complex carbs as "good." Both groups are digested, but at different speeds. High sugar foods and foods made with refined white flour contain unhealthy carbohydrates. With the exception of fructose, which has very little effect on blood sugar, your body digests these carbs fast, spiking your blood sugar. This results in the production of insulin, a hormone that causes the body to store blood sugar as fat. Look for "good" or complex carbs in sweet potatoes, nuts, whole grains and brown rice. Good carbs are digested slowly, causing a more gradual and gentler rise in blood sugar, which does not increase or overflow insulin production.
Fiber
Some high-carb foods contain fiber. Your body cannot turn it into energy or digest it, yet fiber benefits your health. The two types of fiber are soluble and insoluble, and both are important. Soluble fiber can aid in removing LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, from your bloodstream. It also regulates your blood sugar and can keep you full longer. Insoluble fiber mainly supports the digestive system and can prevent problems like constipation.
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