[All] What is Carbohydrate? The role of Carbs and how to distinguish good and bad Carbs

Carbohydrates are an important nutrient for each of us. To better understand the meaning and effects of carbohydrates on human life and tips to distinguish good and bad carbs, let’s find out with Tnhelearning.edu.vn through the article below!

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are macronutrients , that is, they are the source of energy or calories for the body. If from a chemical perspective, carbohydrates are components that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen .

Carbohydrates can be divided into three main categories:

• Sugar: Sugar is the simplest form of carbohydrate and occurs naturally in a number of foods, including fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and dairy products. Sugars include fruit sugar (fructose), cane sugar (sucrose), and milk sugar (lactose).
• Starch: Starch is a complex carbohydrate, which has a structure of many sugar units linked together. Starch exists naturally in cooked vegetables, grains, and legumes.
• Fiber: Fiber is also a complex carbohydrate. It occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and cooked legumes.

The role of carbs in human health

Good for the brain

Carbs have the main function of providing energy for the central nervous system . In addition, carbs are also important for brain function, affecting mood, memory, etc.

Therefore, the lack or excess of carbs also affects memory, mood, and emotions. In fact, we can understand that the amount of carbs the body needs will be based on the tolerance needs that the brain needs to be able to function properly.

Generating the energy of all activities

At the same time, it is also the energy for muscle activities . Carbs activate the metabolism and help increase the ability to burn fat.

They prevent protein from being used as the main source of energy. So protein will be used for the better purpose of building muscle. At the same time, carbs also allow fats to be metabolized.

Helps the body fight certain diseases

Many studies show that the fiber found in nuts, whole grains and fiber from foods will help us reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well. as very good for the digestive system of the whole family.

Distinguishing Carbs

Simple carbs (single, double, multi)

Simple carbs contain one or two simple sugars (monosaccharides), such as fructose (found in fruit) and galactose (found in dairy products).

Simple carbs contain double sugars (disaccharides) such as sucrose (cane sugar), lactose (from milk), maltose (in beer and some vegetables). In addition, simple carbs are also found in candy, soda, and syrup. However, these foods are made with processed, refined sugar and do not contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber. So they have no calories, if you consume a lot will lead to weight gain.

The simple carb group contains polyols such as: glycogen, starch, and cellulose found in cereals, bread, pasta, brown rice, some vegetables such as potatoes, carrots and radishes. ..The types mentioned above all contain sugars that will be slowly digested by the body, creating a long-term energy source.

Complex carbs

Complex carbs are usually foods that contain 3 or more sugars . They are often referred to as the good carbohydrate-rich food group, including: peas, peanuts, potatoes, corn, parsley, cereals, whole grain breads, etc.

According to nutritionist Smathers, the consumption of many simple carb food groups can lead to spikes in blood sugar levels, which can easily cause cardiovascular disease and diabetes, while sustainable energy, long-lasting. for the body comes from the complex carb group.

How to distinguish good and bad carbs

To distinguish good and bad Carbs we need to learn about the glycemic index (GI) because this index is closely related to carbohydrates, it reflects the rate at which blood sugar (blood sugar) rises after when eating foods containing sugar and starch. As a result, you can choose healthy foods.

Specifically, high GI is when starch is broken down quickly during digestion and then releases glucose into the bloodstream, causing blood sugar to spike rapidly. At that time, blood glucose levels rise and more insulin is needed for the body to absorb glucose and balance the body’s blood sugar. If this condition occurs regularly and for a long time, it will affect your health.

A low GI is when starch is broken down more slowly , thereby releasing glucose much more slowly and in stages into the bloodstream. This does not cause a spike in blood sugar, which means that blood sugar is stable for a long time.

What are good carbs?

As such, good carbs are often found in low GI foods such as foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber such as nuts, whole grains, beans, vegetables, leafy greens, and low-sweet fruits. .

What are bad carbs?

Bad carbs belong to the group of foods with high GI, found in many candies and soft drinks, high-sugar beverages, cakes, ice cream, chocolate, fast foods containing a lot of sugar, refined starches and fats, etc.

Comparison table of good and bad carbs:

Comparative Criteria	Good carbs	Bad carbs
Average calories	Medium, low calorie.	Many calories.
Amount of finished product refined	– There are many nutrients. – No sugar and refined grains. – High natural fiber.	– Contains refined sugar (white sugar, honey, fruit juice). Contains lots of refined grains like white bread. – Less nutrients. – Low fiber.
Sodium content	Little sodium.	High sodium.
Cholesterol and trans fat content	Cholesterol, foods that contain little or no trans fat.	High in cholesterol and trans fats.
Saturated fat content	Low saturated fat.	Foods high in saturated fat.

Some notes when adding carbs daily

From the extent of the effect of carbs on the body, you should only consume a maximum of 10-15% of simple carbs and the remaining 85-90% of carbs should be complex carbs so that the body does not gain weight. blood sugar and lead to diabetes.

According to studies, the recommended daily carb intake for adults is 235 grams . However, researchers recommend this number should depend on each person’s meal and the amount of calories you need to take in to ensure enough energy for daily activities. In which, carbs should make up 45-65% of these total calories.

Accordingly, an adult will need to provide about 2500 calories for all activities of the day. In which, the reasonable calorie level provided by carbs is 50 – 60% , equivalent to 1250 – 1500 calories . Since each gram of carbohydrate will release 4 calories , you need to plan your menu so that eating only 312 – 375 grams of carbs per day is enough.

For a healthy, balanced diet, pay attention to the following carbohydrate choices: fiber-rich fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, skimmed dairy products, legumes, and more. .. Specifically:

• Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables: These foods add fiber, water, and use more to help you feel fuller with fewer calories. In particular, you should pay attention to regularly use quinoa ( contains up to 21.3% carbohydrates), oatmeal (contains 66% carbohydrates), buckwheat (contains 71.5% carbohydrates), bananas: (contains 23 % carbohydrates), sweet potatoes (contains about 18% – 21% carbohydrates),…
• Whole grains: Compared to refined grains, which have undergone a process of removing some parts of the grain, along with some nutrients and fiber, whole grains are whole grains. better source of carbs and more nutrients.
• Legumes: These are nutritious foods, low in fat, high in plant protein, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium, they contain beneficial fats and fiber.

Above is information about Carbohydrates that Tnhelearning.edu.vn shares with you. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below the article.

*Refer to information, composite images from: hellobacsi.com, Healthline – Starchy foods (English), Healthline – Good Carbs and Bad Carbs (English), Healthline – Simple Carbs and Complex Carbs (English) English)