CWC Video 5 Script

Many foods make up a healthful diet. On the food pyramid, you can see vegetables, fruits, meat, fish and poultry, and dairy products, among other things. These foods are a source of the proteins, vitamins, and fibers that we need to maintain a healthy body.  One specific section of the food pyramid is Carbohydrates. Grain products are the main source of Carbohydrates, which provide the body with glucose. Our bodies convert the glucose into energy and that helps our body function and engage in physical activity.   

Let’s learn more about carbohydrates and how we can incorporate them into our diets.  

As we noted earlier, Carbs provide our bodies with energy. We can obtain energy from protein and fats, but our body’s most preferred source of energy is carbohydrates. They typically make up around 60% of our daily food intake.

Carbs can be obtained in the form of sugars such as fruits, honey, syrups, and other sweets and also from grains, pasta, cereals, and other vegetables. As you can see, the most carbohydrate-rich foods are from plants. They are typically classified as a simple or complex carbohydrate. 

SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES

Simple carbohydrates contain one or two sugar molecules which allow them to be quick energy sources. Sugars such as glucose, fructose, sucrose, and lactose are simple carbs. They do not typically supply any other nutrients or fiber and are naturally present in fruit, fruit juices, and milk products.

The most common simple carb is glucose because it is present in nearly all plant foods. Our bodies also produce glucose when we break down other foods. This carb is known as blood sugar and is the basic source of energy for all living things.

Sucrose is present in most fruits and some vegetables. It is also known as table, beet or cane sugar.

Fructose is present in fruits and saps, but it can be found in most plants as well. It is also known as fruit sugar.

Maltose is a simple sugar found in grains. It is commonly called malt sugar. 

And finally, lactose is the simple carbohydrate found in milk. It is broken down into glucose and galactose. Lactose is also known as milk sugar.

Complex carbohydrates are also a source of energy but they also provide nutrients and fiber that our bodies need. Complex carbs are found in the form of starch and fiber. 

Starches help support human activity because our bodies need to break them down into glucose in order to use it. The starchy foods will supply us with long, sustained energy.  

The richest source of starch are seeds because they are 70% starch by weight. These seeds include wheat grains, corn, rye, barley, and oats. In the wheat grain we find starchy carbohydrates in the endosperm.

Another source of starch is vegetables in the bean and pea family. They are about 40% starch by weight and can provide a good amount of protein to our bodies, some common sources are lima, pinto, and kidney beans,  and black-eyed peas, chickpeas, and soybeans. 

A third major source of starch are tubers. These are foods such as beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yam.

Fiber is found in plant cells and is essential for regulating our bodies. It does not break down completely as it is tough and stringy. As we know, most carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars, but since fiber cannot be broken down, it passes through the body undigested. It will regulate our bodies’ use of simple sugars.

Fiber is found in the skin and seeds of raw fruits and vegetables, whole grain foods, legumes, and nuts. In the wheat grain, we find fiber in the bran. 

So what can we do with all this information? We learned that carbohydrates are important because they provide us energy and help regulate our body functions. In general, complex carbs are more healthful because they release energy more slowly and keep us fuller for longer, whereas simple carbs are a form of quick energy.

Let's review which foods are common sources of carbohydrates. 

Which carbohydrates do you want in your diet?