Define Carbohydrates In Nutrition

Carbohydrates are a group of nutrients that include organic compounds such as sugar, starch and cellulose. Most of the carbohydrates in your diet come from plant foods, such as grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts. The main role of carbohydrates is to provide your body with energy, which is primarily in the form of glucose. Different types of carbohydrates are categorized based on the amount of sugar molecules that they contain.

Types of Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are those that contain only one or two sugar molecules linked together, which are called monosaccharides and disaccharides, respectively. Common monosaccharides include fructose, or fruit sugar, and galactose, which is found in dairy products. Sucrose, or table sugar, is a common disaccharide, as is lactose, which is the predominant sugar in dairy products.

Complex carbohydrates are those that contain more than two sugar molecules linked together. These carbohydrates are referred to as polysaccharides and may contain anywhere from three to several hundred sugars. Examples of polysaccharides include fiber, starch and glycogen.

Good Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are often referred to as good or bad, based on their nutritional quality. High-sugar foods, such as cookies and candy, contain a high amount of carbohydrates in the form of sugar, but little to no other nutrients. Excess intake of these types of carbohydrates can lead to weight gain and increase your risk of nutrition-related illness. Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and white pasta, also contain high amounts of carbohydrates, but have been stripped of important nutrients as well as fiber. When deciding between carbohydrates, it is best to choose whole fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, nuts, legumes and seeds.

Fiber

Fiber is a specific type of carbohydrate that often gets a lot of separate attention in the nutritional world. Fiber is a unique type of carbohydrate in that your body cannot physically digest it. This property of fiber allows it to have various health effects in your body. Fiber can lower your risk of constipation and the digestive condition diverticulitis, as well as reduce your risk of heart disease by lowering your cholesterol level. Fiber also moves through your digestive system slowly, so it helps keep you full longer, which can prevent overeating and weight gain.

Carbohydrate Needs

Because carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your body, the nutrient should make up most of your calorie intake, or 45 to 65 percent. If you are on a 2,000-calorie diet, this translates to 225 to 325 g per day. Fiber also has its own daily recommendation, at 14 g for every 1,000 calories, or 28 g for a 2,000-calorie diet.