Carbohydrates

Date: Friday November 20, 2009
Posted in: Baby Health

carbohydrates or saccharides are the most abundant of the four main types of biomolecules. They have various tasks such as storing and transporting energy and being the structural building blocks of living things.Carbohydrates also contribute immensely for the proper functioning of the immune system,fertilization, blood clotting and development.They play a vital role in communications between cells and other parts of the body as well as cellular interactions between the cells in the cellular environment.

Not all carbohydrates are bad and not all carbohydrates are good. Some of them promote a healthy lifestyle while others if eaten in excess can be a risk to the health such as the causes of diabetes and coronary heart disease. They are an essential part of a healthy diet because it provides fuel for the body for physical activity and for proper organ functioning. Vegetables, fruits, whole grain and fiber are ample sources of carbohydrates, as they provide oneself with the necessary vitamins and minerals.An range of foods that offer them are beans, milk, potatoes, cookies, corn, pasta and bread. The most common and abundant forms are sugars, fibers and starches.

A sugar molecule is the basic building block of every complex carbohydrate which is a combination of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen.Certain carbohydrates include hundreds of sugars as starches and fibres that consist of chains of sugar particles. The digestive system breaks down the carbohydrates into single sugar molecules since it has to be small enough to cross through the bloodstream.The cells use the digestible carbohydrates and transforms them into glucose as a general energy source. As fiber could not be broken down the same way, it does not digest in the body. Soluble fiber and insoluble fiber don’t nourish the body but are beneficial for the health in many ways. Fiber lowers low-density lipoprotein and manages the sugar usage of the body. The insoluble fibers help the food push through the intestinal tract encouraging regularity.

Foods such as whole wheat bread, brown rice and whole grain pasta will help protect the body against a range of chronic diseases. A breakfast containing whole grains such as cereals, oats or whole oats would be an ideal way to add more carbohydrate to your diet. Brown rice or whole grain breads should be used for lunch or snacks. If you’re a little picky go for the half whole wheat flour and half white flour. Beans should be amply incorporated into your regular diet as they contain carbohydrates that digest slowly and also because they are rich in protein.

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