4 forgotten facts about carbohydrates

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4 forgotten facts about carbohydrates

​          I love the spring. The sun, warm air, flowers and green everywhere makes me feel so refreshed and new. Spring also makes me want to wear pretty dresses and other cute clothes. There is also something about spring that makes me want to eat lots more fruits and vegetables!
            I love all types of vegetables and fruits. I call fruit “nature’s desserts”. Since fruits are naturally sweet, they can satisfy a sweet tooth without all the unnatural ingredients found in processed sweets. Fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients to nourish our body and affect our health.
            There is so much information out there about food that it can be hard to know what the truth is! As a Certified Health Education Specialist, I am responsible for researching for and using credible information as resources towards better health for the population.
            That being said: it seems there is a myth about carbohydrates that have been going around for years. The myth is that carbohydrates are bad. That is so not true! So here are
                                4 forgotten facts about carbohydrates:
 1.Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy.

•  Carbs are macronutrients that are called sugars.
•  Carbs supply fuel primarily in the form of glucose – the major sugar in high carbohydrate foods.   

2. Carbohydrates helps your body to not use protein as energy.

• Proteins are used for structural and mechanical support, for enzymes and hormones and other important roles in your body.
• If proteins are used as the primary source for energy the other roles it supports will be lacking.
• Proteins can be used as energy, but your body likes to use carbs as its primary source and use protein for its other essential functions.

3. Whole foods are the best sources of carbohydrates.

• Whole grains are bountiful in complex carbohydrates: brown rice, quinoa, whole   – wheat bread are some examples.
• Fruits are rich in glucose and fructose (sweetest natural sugar found in fruit).
• Vegetables have a generous amount of carbohydrates.
• Low fat dairy products are a good source of carbohydrates.
• Carbohydrates are in processed and refined foods (packaged); but these are not the best choice because most of these foods are lacking in the nutrients found in whole foods.

4. The RDA (recommended daily allowance) of carbohydrates for children, men and women are 130 grams. 

• It is more for pregnant and breast - feeding women.

           Just the facts ma’am and sir! Foods have power (literally), you are what you eat is true. Eat healthy, be healthy. Eat junk…you get the picture.
Remember whole food carbs are not bad! Make sure you are getting the recommended daily amount, not eating too many calories than your body needs (calories are king – this will be another post) and eating natural whole foods. Foods that have come from the earth, as God designed it! This is part 1 of the nutrition series.
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Reference:
Blake, JS, Munoz, KD, Volpe, S. Nutrition: from Science to You. second ed. Boston, MA: Pearson; 2014.

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