Carbohydrates are widely distributed in nature, particularly in the vegetable kingdom. The main exception is lactose, the disaccharide that is found in milk and products made from it. Although glycogen is stored in muscle tissue, is found only in very small quantities in meat.

Carbohydrates are the most important energy available from the human body. Despite receiving strong criticism in the decade of 2000 and are often blamed for the epidemic of obesity in the United States, carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet for children and adults.

The two major types are:

Simple sugars (simple carbohydrates), such as fructose, glucose and lactose, and also found in nutritious whole fruits

Starches (complex carbohydrates) are found in foods such as vegetables rich in starch grains, rice, breads and cereals

Despite the recent fashion of reducing carbohydrates, the bottom line shows that not all foods containing carbohydrates are bad, whether they are complex carbohydrates like those found in grains, or simple carbohydrates, such as those found in fruit. If carbohydrates were really that bad, we would be in a serious problem, since most foods contain them. But, of course, some carbohydrate-rich foods are healthier than others. (more…)