Carbohydrates
Starches, sugars and fiber are the carbohydrates in food. Carbohydrates are a molecule that plants make during photosynthesis, combining carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They are very important in your body's metabolism because they are generally the part of food that is digested most quickly. Carbohydrates can give you quick energy, and cause a rise in blood sugar levels.
Diabetics, in particular, need to pay attention to the carbohydrates they eat to help manage their blood sugar. Some carbohydrates, those found in whole grains and leafy vegetables, for example have a much slower impact on blood sugar than carbohydrates in fruits or candy.
It's easy to consume a lot of carbohydrates, as foods like breads, pasta, cake, cookies and potatoes are loaded with them. Nutrition experts suggest that you should only get 45 to 65 percent of your daily nutrition from carbohydrates.
Recently Answered
- Q What is polydextrose?
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Polydextrose is a carbohydrate and a nondigestible polysaccharide, used primarily as a sugar replacement. It has been studied for its effects on impaired glucose tolerance and childhood growth promotion. It has also been investigated for its potential... Full Answer
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- Q How can consuming simple sugars affect my eating habits?
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Dr. Vonda Wright, Orthopedic SurgeryEasily digestible foods containing high levels of simple sugars cause a rapid spike in circulating blood sugar. This signals the pancreas to release insulin in order to absorb the glucose. This works well unless the pancreas overshoots insulin... Full Answer
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- Q What are examples of added sugar?
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Ashley Koff, Nutrition & DieteticsAll of the following are code words for added sugar: Brown sugar Corn sweetener Corn syrup Crystalline fructose Dextrose Evaporated cane juice Fructose Fruit juice concentrates Glucose High-fructose corn syrup Honey Invert sugar Malt syrup Maltose... Full Answer
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- Q Why might skipping carbs be a bad idea?
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Ashley Koff, Nutrition & DieteticsNever forgo carbs entirely at any given meal. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to skip the carbs or save those carbs for a later feast. This will sabotage your energy equation. If you skip carbs at lunch thinking that you can then indulge in... Full Answer
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- Q How can consuming fructose be harmful to my health?
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Tim Ferriss, FitnessIn addition to contributing to metabolic abnormalities, the consumption of fructose has been reported to affect homeostasis of numerous trace elements. Fructose has been shown to increase iron absorption in humans and experimental animals. Fructose... Full Answer
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- Q Why should I avoid white carbohydrates while on a slow-carb diet?
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Tim Ferriss, FitnessOne reason to avoid the white carbohydrates is: chlorine dioxide, one of the chemicals used to bleach flour (even if later made brown again, a common trick), combines with residual protein in most of these foods to form alloxan. Researchers use alloxan... Full Answer
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- Q What types of carbohydrates should I avoid if I'm on a slow-carb diet?
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Tim Ferriss, FitnessAvoid any carbohydrate that is, or can be, white. The following foods are prohibited on a slow-carb diet: all bread, rice (including brown), cereal, potatoes, pasta, tortillas, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating the afore-mentioned foods... Full Answer
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- Q What are the health risks of fructose?
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Research is showing that the risks of fructose outweigh its benefits. For instance, a groundbreaking University of California -- Davis study tracked overweight and obese people who took in 25 percent of their daily calories from either a... Full Answer
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- Q How do I know which type of carbohydrate is good for me?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyHere's some advice on carbohydrates: • Skip refined and processed foods altogether • Read the label to see if there is added sugar (be wary of the "oses") • Choose whole grains... Full Answer
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- Q How can I tell if foods have added sugar?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, CardiologyThe term "lightly sweetened" isn’t officially regulated by the FDA, which means it could have anywhere from 1 to 100 grams -- or more -- of sugar. Instead of “lightly sweetened,” search for the label “No added sugar.”... Full Answer
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