What are Carbohydrates?

The word carbohydrates (Carbs) means "carbon plus water". Plants use sunlight (photosynthesis) to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrate and oxygen. But, why do we need carbs?

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To function your body needs energy, then it looks for carbs first.

If you are not consuming enough Nutrient Supplements such as carbs, your body will look for other sources of energy, such as protein found in muscle tissue. , however, are not efficient sources of energy for the body.

The benefits of Carbs is that it also protect your muscles and help regulate the amount of sugar circulating in your blood so that all the cells get the energy they need.

Two types of Carbs exist, namely simple and complex. Both are composed of units of sugar. The difference is how many sugar units they contain, and how they link together.

Simple carbs are sugars that give you instant energy and typically have no nutritional value. These include sweets, candy, and soda.

Sweets	Candy	Soda

Complex carbs release energy slowly and often contain fibre.

For a list of food high in complex carbohydrate have a look at the following examples:

Bread	Pasta	Rice
Potatoes	Legumes	Cereals

If you have an athlete in the family this will assist his or her performance. But, what if you use too much of these so called "healthier" carbs?

A typical daily Carb diet consist of 45 - 60% of your total caloric intake.

Research suggests that adult individuals should consume a minimum of 120 - 125 grams of carbs per day to satisfy basic needs.

It is advisable to check with your local medical practitioner for the recommended daily carb intake according to your family’s circumstances.