CARBOHYDRATES: Nutrition Notes

By Theresa Stahl, RD, LDN

You may not really think of carbohydrates as brain food, but glucose, a simple form of carbohydrates, provides nearly all the energy your brain uses everyday.

Let's take a look at some carbohydrate basics:

• Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen - carbo meaning "carbon" and hydrate meaning "with water."
• Dietary carbohydrates include simple carbohydrates (the sugars) and complex carbohydrates (the starches and fibers).

Simple sugars include:

• Monosaccharides - glucose, fructose (fruit sugar) and galactose.
• Disaccharides - sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar), and maltose.

Complex carbohydrates include:

• Polysaccharides -which are starches (grains, legumes, tubers such as potatoes)
• Fibers -(cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins, gums, lignan, and mucilages such as guar and carageenan). Fibers are not digested by human digestive enzymes and don't provide calories.The main role of carbohydrates in the diet is to supply energy. Carbohydrates are the best source to fuel muscles and promote healthy hearts. Fiber helps lower blood cholesterol, prevents constipation, maintains a healthy digestive tract and provides a feeling of fullness, which is the most immediate benefit that helps prevent overeating.

Tips for choosing carbohydrates:

• Choose whole-grains, including whole grain breads, cereals, rice and pasta.
• Include five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Choose 1% or skim milk and low-fat milk products, such as yogurt, cottage cheese and cheeses.
• Eat more legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils.
• Limit sugars, such as table sugar, corn syrup and honey, which promote cavities and may displace needed nutrients and fiber and contribute to obesity.