Carbohydrates are an important part of your diet because they provide glucose, which the body uses for energy. It’s recommended that 45-65% of daily calories come from carbohydrates. There are three types of carbohydrates; starches, sugars and fiber. Sugars are considered simple carbohydrates. Starches and fiber are considered complex carbohydrates.
Sugars
Sugars are found both naturally in foods and are also added to foods. It’s important to note that the nutritional label doesn’t distinguish between naturally occurring sugars and added sugars. Examples of naturally occurring sugars are fructose (fruit sugar) and lactose (milk sugar).
Sucrose or table sugar is what we more commonly think of when we think of sugar. While all sugar should be limited, watch out for refined sugars, which have calories but few nutrients. Choose fresh and frozen fruits instead as they have lots of vitamins and minerals. Canned fruits may be higher in sugar than fresh and frozen options.
Starches
The starch group contains many of the foods that we commonly think of as carbohydrates such as bread, pasta and grains. Some vegetables also contain starches such as potatoes, corn and green peas. Lentils, beans and other legumes also have starches.
A grain has three parts; bran, germ and endosperm. When grains are refined they remove all parts except the endosperm, which removes a significant nutritional value. Some of these nutrients may be added back into the product, these are called “enriched grains.” Grains that have been unrefined are “whole grains.” It’s recommended that at least half of your grains come from whole grains.
Dietary Fiber
Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t break down. Most Americans only eat 10-15 grams of fiber a day, however the recommendation is 20-30 grams. Dietary fiber only comes from plant sources. There are two types of fiber; soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber will dissolve in water and insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water. They both have different effects on the body and health. Soluble fiber helps slow the digestion of food and makes you feel fuller. Insoluble fiber is important in digestion and helps food move through the body faster.
