Learn the truth about carbohydrates

There's a lot of confusion surrounding the role of carbohydrates in nutrition, and the success of low-carb diets has convinced many people that carbs are unilaterally bad. We'll go over the facts and help you find the truth.

• Starches and sugars are our main source of energy. Fibre (which is another form of carbohydrate) also has significant health benefits.
• Almost all of the starches and sugars that humans burn for energy come from plants. The only major exception is lactose, the sugar found in milk.
• Essentially, plants are complex food factories that convert energy and nutrients into glucose, a simple sugar that is later converted into starch. As the plant develops and grows, it also makes various vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals, as well as some fat and protein.
• We can get our carbohydrates and most of the other nutrients we need from the thousands of different grains, seeds, fruits, and vegetables available.

• Carbohydrates are classified according to their chemical structure and digestibility. There are two groups: simple and complex.
• Simple carbohydrates, or sugars, can generally form crystals that dissolve in water and are easily digested. Naturally occurring sugars are found in a variety of fruits, some vegetables, and honey. Processed sugars include table sugar, brown sugar, and molasses.
• Complex carbohydrates have a wide range of textures, flavours, colours, and molecular structures. They're composed of complex chains of sugars, and are further classified as starches or fibre.
• Our digestive system can break down and metabolize most starches, which are found in an array of grains, vegetables, and some fruits.
• However, we lack the enzymes required to break down most fibre, including cellulose and pectin. But dietary fibre is still extremely important because it promotes smooth colon function and may help prevent some types of cancer, heart attacks, and other diseases.

So are carbs good or bad? As always, the truth is somewhere in the middle. You need to eat some carbohydrates, as they're one of the best sources of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. However, you'd probably be a lot healthier if the vast majority of your carbs came from fruits and vegetables rather than processed food items. The best thing that you can do is consider the research, do some of your own, and make the most informed dietary decision possible.