Carbohydrate

A carbohydrate is an organic compound that consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water); in other words it's the petrol of the body. They provide the body with fuel it needs for physical activity and for proper organ function, and they are an important part of a healthy diet. The carbohydrates are divided into four chemical groupings: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
I would not go in the details of these words but in other words these four types are further classified into good and bad carbs.

Question: What’s the difference between a sandwich made on white bread and one made with 100% whole grain bread? Or, the difference between French fries and side salad made with spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and kidney beans?


All the foods above are carbohydrates. But the second option in both questions includes good carbohydrate foods (whole grains and vegetables). In the recent past, the reputation of carbohydrates has swung wildly. Carbs have been touted as the feared food and people are willing not to eat it at first place. But this is not true. Some carbs are promoted as a healthful nutrient associated with lower risk of chronic disease. Choose the best sources of carbohydrates—whole grains (the less processed, the better), vegetables, fruits and beans—since they promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.  


Skip the easily digested refined carbohydrates from refined grains—white bread, white rice, and the like— as well as pastries, sugared sodas, and other highly processed foods, since these may contribute to weight gain, interfere with weight loss, and promote diabetes and heart disease.


In September 2002, the National Academies Institute of Medicine did a research and came out with the recommended, mentioned below:

1.  To meet the body's daily nutritional needs while minimizing risk for chronic disease, adults should get 45% to 65% of their calories from carbohydrates, 20% to 35% from fat, and 10% to 35% from protein.
2. There is only one way to get fiber -- eat plant foods. Plants such as fruits and vegetables are quality carbohydrates that are loaded with fiber. Studies show an increased risk for heart disease with low-fiber diets.
3. There is also some evidence to suggest that fiber in the diet may also help to prevent colon cancer and promote weight control.

The recommendations:  

• Men aged 50 or younger should get 38 grams of fiber a day.
• Women aged 50 or younger should get 25 grams of fiber a day.
• Because we need fewer calories and food as we get older, men over aged 50 should get 30 grams of fiber a day.
• Women over aged 50 should get 21 grams of fiber a day

Another good friend of carbos is FIBER. It helps to slows down the absorption of nutrients eaten at the meal, including carbohydrates. This slowing down may help prevent peaks and valleys in your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk for type 2 diabetes.  Certain types of fiber found in oats, beans, and some fruits can also help lower blood cholesterol. As an added plus, fiber helps people feel full, adding to satiety.

Start the day with whole grains. 

• Try a hot cereal, like steel cut oats, or a cold cereal that lists a whole grain first on the ingredient list.
• Look for bread that lists as the first ingredient whole wheat, whole rye, or some other whole grain —and even better, one that is made with only whole grains, such as 100 percent whole wheat bread.
• Try brown rice, bulgur, wheat berries, whole wheat pasta, or another whole grain with your dinner.
• An orange has two times as much fiber and half as much sugar as a 12-ounce glass of orange juice.
• Beans are an excellent source of slowly digested carbohydrates as well as a great source of protein

What are the bad Carbs

• Sugars, “Added” sugars
• Refined “white” grains.
• White bread
• Sodas and Juices
• Candy and cakes.
• White rice
• Alcohols.

Avoid as much as possible the above listed food.