Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the main nutrients in our diet. They help provide energy for
our body. There are three main types of carbohydrates found in foods: sugars, starches,
and fiber.
People with diabetes often need to count the amount of carbohydrates they eat.

Function
Your body needs all three forms of carbohydrates to function properly.
Sugars and starches are broken down by the body into glucose (blood sugar) to be used
as energy.
Fiber is the part of food that is not broken down by the body. Fiber helps you to feel full
and can help you stay at a healthy weight.
There are two types of fiber. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools so you stay
regular. Soluble fiberhelps lower cholesterol levels and can help improve blood glucose
control.

Food Sources
Many different types of foods contain one or more type of carbohydrate.
SUGARS
Sugar occurs naturally in these nutrient-rich foods:

Fruits

Milk and milk products

Some foods have added sugar. Many packaged and refined foods contain added sugar.
These include:

Candy

Cookies, cakes, and pastries

Regular (non-diet) carbonated beverages, such as soda

Heavy syrups, such as those added to canned fruit

Refined foods with added sugar provide calories, but they lack vitamins, minerals, and
fiber. Because they lack nutrients, these foods provide "empty calories" and can lead to
weight gain. It's best to eat foods without added sugar.
STARCHES
These nutrient-rich foods are high in starch. Many are also high in fiber:

Canned and dried beans, such as kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, blackeyed peas, split peas, and garbanzo beans

Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, corn, green peas, and parsnips

Whole grains, such as brown rice, oats, barley, and quinoa

Refined grains, such as those found in pastries, white bread, crackers, and white rice
also contain starch. However, they lack B vitamins and other important nutrients unless
they are marked "enriched." Foods made with refined or "white" flour also contain less
fiber and protein than whole-grain products, and do not help you feel as satisfied.
FIBER
High-fiber foods include:

Whole grains, such as whole wheat and brown rice as well as whole-grain breads,
cereals, and crackers

Beans and legumes, such as black beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans

Vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn, potato with skin

Fruits, such as raspberries, pears, apples, and figs

Nuts and seeds

Most processed and refined foods, enriched or not, are low in fiber.

Side Effects
Eating too many carbohydrates in the form of processed, starchy, or sugary foods can
cause an increase in total calories. This can lead to weight gain.

Severely restricting carbohydrates can cause ketosis. This is when the body uses fat for
energy because there are not enough carbohydrates from food for the body to use for
energy.

Recommendations
It is best to get most of your carbohydrates from whole foods. In addition to calories,
whole foods provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
By making smart food choices, you can get the full range of healthy carbohydrates and
plenty of nutrients:

Choose a variety of unprocessed foods. These include whole grains, fresh or

frozen fruits and vegetables, canned or fresh beans and legumes, and low-fat or non-fat
dairy products.

Read labels on canned, packaged, and frozen foods to avoid added sugar, salt,
and fat.

Make half of your grain servings per day from whole grains.

If you eat refined grains, make sure they are enriched.

Choose whole fruits and 100% fruit juices with little to no added sugar. Make at
least half of your daily fruit servings from whole fruits.

Limit sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and alcohol. Limit added sugars to

less than 10 percent of calories per day.
Here are recommended serving sizes for foods that are high in carbohydrates:

Starchy vegetables: 1 cup mashed potato or sweet potato, 1 small ear of corn

Fruits: 1 medium-size fruit (such as 1 medium apple or 1 medium orange), 1/2

cup of frozen or chopped fruit, or 3/4 cup of fruit juice

Breads and cereals: 1 slice of whole-grain bread; 1 ounce or 2/3 cup of wholegrain cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked brown rice, pasta, or cereal; 1/2 cup of cooked dried
beans, lentils, or dried peas

Dairy: 1 cup of skim or low-fat milk or 8 ounces plain yogurt

The food guide plate recommends filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables,
and one-third of your plate with grains, at least half of which are whole grains.

Here is a sample 2,000-calorie menu with healthy carbohydrate choices:

BREAKFAST

1 cup shredded wheat cereal, topped with 1 tbsp. raisins and one cup fat-free
milk

1 small banana

1 hard-boiled egg
LUNCH
Smoked turkey sandwich, made with 2 ounces whole-wheat pita bread, 1/4 cup romaine
lettuce, 2 slices tomato, 3 ounces sliced smoked turkey breast

1 teaspoon (tsp.) mayonnaise-type salad dressing

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 medium pear

1 cup tomato juice

DINNER

5 ounces grilled top loin steak

3/4 cup mashed sweet potato

2 tsp. soft margarine

1 cup spinach salad

2 ounce whole-wheat dinner roll

1 tsp. soft margarine

1 cup fat-free milk

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

SNACK

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt with strawberries on top

Alternative Names
Starches; Simple sugars; Sugars; Complex carbohydrates; Diet - carbohydrates; Simple
carbohydrates

Four major biomolecule classes

Carbohydrates (saccharides) - Molecules consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. A
major food source and a key form of energy for most organisms. When combined together to
form polymers, carbohydrates can function as long term food storage molecules, as protective
membranes for organisms and cells, and as the main structural support for plants and constituents
of many cells and their contents.
Lipids (fats) - Molecules consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. The main constituents
of all membranes in all cells (cell walls), food storage molecules, intermediaries in signaling
pathways, Vitamins A, D, E and K, cholesterol.
Proteins - Molecules contain nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They act as biological
catalysts (enzymes), form structural parts of organisms, participate in cell signal and recognition
factors, and act as molecules of immunity. Proteins can also be a source of fuel.
Nucleic acids (nucleotides) - DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid). These
molecules are involved in genetic information, as well as forming structure within cells. They are
involved in the storage of all heritable information of all organisms, as well as the conversion of
this data into proteins.
Most organic matter on earth is made up of carbohydrates1 because they are involved in so many
aspects of life, including:
Energy stores, fuels, and metabolic intermediaries.

Ribose and deoxyribose sugars are part of the structural framework of RNA and DNA.

The cell walls of bacteria are mainly made up of polysaccharides (types of carbohydrate).

Cellulose (a type of carbohydrate) makes up most of plant cell walls.

Carbohydrates are linked to many proteins and lipids (fats), where they are vitally
involved in cell interactions.
A carbohydrate is an organic compound such as sugars, starches, celluloses and gums, that
occurs in living tissues and food. It is important for nutrition since it can be broken down into
energy by people or animals.
Carbohydrates are divided into four groups:
Monosaccharides - These are simple carbohydrates, also called simple sugars, which are
made of one sugar. They are broken down quickly by the body and are the building
blocks for complex carbohydrates.
Disaccharides - These are also simple carbohydrates that consist of two chemically-linked
monosaccarides. They come in the form of lactose, maltose and sucrose.
Oligosaccharides - These are complex carbohydrates that consist of three to ten sugars.
They are rich in vitamins and minerals; and, because they are fiber-rich, they are slower
to digest than a simple carbohydrate.

Polysaccharides - These are also complex carbohydratges and are rich in vitamins,
minerals and fiber; but, they have larger numbers of sugars than an oligosaccharide.

Simple Carbohydrates

Frucose

Lactose

Lactulose

Maltose

Maltulose

Sucrose

Galactose

Glucose

Arabinose

Arabitol

Foods with Simple Carbohydrates

Baked goods (including bread) made with white flour

Cake

Candy

Candy bar

Carbonated drink

Chocolate

Cookie

Corn syrup

Fruit juice

Complex Carbohydrates

Cellobiose

Isomaltose

Kojibiose

Nigerose

Rutinose

Rutinulose

Trehalose

Xylobiose

Foods that Contain Complex Carbohydrates

Apple

Apricot

Artichoke

Asparagus

Banana

Blackberry

Black current

Blueberry

Broccoli

Brown rice