Nutrition : An Introduction To Simple Carbohydrates
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By: Tom Parker
 
Date Submitted: 2009-05-27 18:24:57 - Article Views: 20104
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The foods we eat contain three main nutrients (often referred to as macronutrients); carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Carbohydrates are your body's preferred source of energy and can be further broken down in to simple carbohydrates or complex carbohydrates. In this article I am going to be discussing simple carbohydrates in more detail.
Simple carbohydrates are sometimes referred to as simple sugars. They are often associated with highly processed, sugary products such as candy and chocolate. However, this is not always true. For example, some simple carbohydrates can be found naturally in milk.
So what are simple carbohydrates? Well the name actually comes from the chemical structure of the carbohydrate. Simple carbohydrates are made of one or two sugars whereas complex carbohydrates are made of three or more. There are two main types of simple carbohydrate and I will be discussing these in greater detail below:
1) MONOSACCHARIDES:- Monosaccharides are chemically made of one sugar as can be seen from the name 'mono' which means one. They are often linked together to form complex carbohydrates but can also be found naturally in certain foods. There are three main types of monosaccharide; Fructose (which is found naturally in fruits and honey), Galactose (which is the result of the disaccharide lactose being broken down as part of the digestive process) and Glucose (which is found naturally in honey, fruits and vegetables).
2) DISACCHARIDES:- This simple carbohydrate is made of two chemically linked monosaccharides as the name 'di' (which means two) suggests. There are many types of disaccharide with three main ones being; Lactose (which is a combination of the monosaccharides glucose and galactose that is often referred to as milk sugar), Maltose (which is a combination of two glucose units that is often referred to as malt sugar) and Sucrose (which is a combination of glucose and fructose that is often referred to as cane sugar).
I hope this article has given you a greater understanding of exactly what simple carbohydrates are. Many people see simple carbohydrates as bad because of their association with processed snacks that are high in sugar. Whilst simple carbohydrates are often used to manufacture these snacks they also occur naturally in certain foods. For example, fructose is naturally found in fruits and vegetables whilst lactose is a natural component of milk. Therefore, simple carbohydrates are not always bad. Whilst cakes, chocolate and candy should be avoided or consumed in moderation, naturally occurring simple carbohydrates should be a welcome part of your diet. |
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 Author Resource Required for Reprint:
Tom Parker owns and operates a number of useful fitness resources and websites. You can learn more about the main carbohydrates and get a free fitness tip delivered to your email inbox every day for a full year by visiting his websites.
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what are carbohydrates  carbohydrates blood sugar main carbohydrates understanding carbs |
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