Healthy carbohydrates

Healthy Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates (carbohydrates or saccharides) (from the Greek σάκχαρ “sugar”) are biomolecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, whose main functions in living beings are to provide immediate and structural energy.

Carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides are the simplest carbohydrates because they are composed of molecules of the same type. The most well-known are glucose (sugar), fructose (fruits), and galactose (dairy).

When 2 monosaccharides join together, they form disaccharides or double sugars. The most common are sucrose (common sugar composed of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule), lactose (milk sugar composed of one galactose molecule and one glucose molecule), and maltose (disaccharide formed by two glucoses).

From the unions of 2 to 10 monosaccharides, they are called oligosaccharides, and from 10 or more monosaccharides, they are called polysaccharides (starch, glycogen).

 

Function of Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates perform various functions, among which energy and structural functions stand out.

Energetic Carbohydrates:

Monosaccharides and disaccharides, such as glucose, act as biological fuels, providing immediate energy to cells, energy responsible for maintaining muscle activity, body temperature, blood pressure, proper intestinal function, and neuronal activity. In addition to providing immediate energy to cells, carbohydrates also provide reserve energy to cells.

Structural Carbohydrates: Some polysaccharides form very strong skeletal structures.

Nutrition:

Nutritionists and dietitians previously classified carbohydrates as simple (monosaccharides and disaccharides) or complex (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides).

Simple Carbohydrates:

Simple carbohydrates are simple sugars with a chemical structure composed of one or two sugars; they are refined sugars that are digested quickly and have very little nutritional value because they do not contain enough essential nutrients, so it is advisable to limit their consumption to small amounts. The consumption of simple carbohydrates is not recommended, especially for diabetics.

Some foods rich in simple carbohydrates:

Foods that contain simple carbohydrates include table sugar, products made with white flour, honey, jam, candies, cakes, cookies, chocolate, fruits and their juices, soft drinks, milk, yogurt, and packaged cereals. Among all of them, choose fruits as the most beneficial.

Complex Carbohydrates:

Complex carbohydrates have a structure composed of three or more sugars, which are generally linked together to form a chain. These sugars are mostly rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and due to their complexity, they take longer to digest, so they do not raise blood sugar levels as quickly as simple carbohydrates, and they act as the body’s fuel to produce energy.

Some foods rich in complex carbohydrates:

Complex carbohydrates are commonly found in vegetables, such as spinach, beans, broccoli, zucchini, whole grains, and legumes like lentils or beans.

  Difference between Simple Carbohydrates and Complex Carbohydrates:

Complex carbohydrates contain fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which have a higher nutritional value than simple carbohydrates, which contain refined sugars and very few vitamins and minerals.

Simple carbohydrates are digested very quickly, while complex carbohydrates take longer to digest.

If we consume more carbohydrates of any type than we need for our immediate use, the unused portion is stored in the liver or converted into fat and deposited in tissues for future use.

 

The Top 10 Carbohydrates We Can Eat:

By focusing our diet on carbohydrate-rich foods that nourish without raising our blood sugar levels, we can stay healthy. (Low Glycemic Index)

The top 10 foods rich in healthy carbohydrates: – Beans – Legumes – Chickpeas – Cherries – Citrus – Barley – Wild rice – Buckwheat – Apricots – Plums – melons It’s impressive!! how much better we will feel when we replace highly processed foods with foods from this list.