| Plants create carbohydrates as a by-product of the photosynthetic
process. Carbohydrates are considered the most abundant organic
compound found in nature. Dietary carbohydrates consist of sugars or
simple carbohydrates found in white sugar, fructose, honey, and
molasses; and complex carbohydrates found in whole grains, legumes,
vegetables and fruits. Chemically speaking, carbohydrates are organic
compounds composed of carbon atoms attached to hydrates such as
water molecules. Dietary carbohydrates supply the primary source of
energy for all physiological processes including the digestion and
assimilation of all macronutrients. They are by far, the body's favorite
energy source and provide glucose for the body which is its primary fuel
source.
Eating an excess of simple carbohydrates is one of the single most
destructive dietary habit of Western societies. Diabetes, obesity, tooth
decay, hypoglycemia and nutritional depletion have all been linked to
eating too much sugar or simple starches. While we absolutely must
have carbohydrates, the type of carbohydrates we choose to eat
makes a profound difference in how our bodies will react. The key to
health lies in how much and what kind we choose to eat.
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| How Much of Our Diet Should Be Made Up of Carbohydrates? |
The dietary requirements for carbohydrates have not been set by RDA
standards. The general consensus is that we eat too many simple
carbohydrates and not enough complex ones. Generally speaking, our
over-emphasis on protein and simple sugars has resulted in a deficit of
consumption of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Many
nutritionists recommend increasing our dietary intake of complex
carbohydrates to promote good health and for the therapeutic
management of various diseases. Americans generally receive
approximately 46 percent of their dietary calories from carbohydrates.
By contrast, Asian societies eat a diet that is 70 to 80 percent
carbohydrate. Again, the type of carbohydrates consumed is very
important.
One third of the carbohydrates we consume as a nation are comprised
of refined and processed sugar products. Refined sugars or white sugar
come from cane and beet sources. Processed sugars include corn
sugar, corn syrup, molasses and honey. Natural sugars are found in
fruits, fruit juices and vegetables. Remember that all sugars are not
metabolized in the same way by the body. While all carbohydrates may
eventually raise blood sugar as glucose, the speed in which they are
assimilated can have far-reaching health effects when it comes to
insulin disorders or diseases like hypoglycemia and diabetes.
Dietary carbohydrates are the body's preferred source of energy, and
once in the body they are either burned as fuel or stored as glycogen
reserves in the muscle and liver. Though it is true that over the last
few decades nutritionists have advised us to eat more carbohydrates
and less fats and protein, eating a fatless diet that is high in simple
sugars can initiate significant weight gain, predispose us to elevated
blood cholesterol and defeat the entire reason we cut down on fats to
begin with. Nonfat or low-fat foods high in sugar calories can be even
more fattening and less satisfying than some fat-containing foods.
Moreover, we must have a certain percentage of lipid consumption to
be healthy and slender |
