Posted by kathryn in Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are present in most of the foods we eat. In fact they’re impossible to avoid – unless you’re willing to live on a diet of just meat, fish and oil of course. The following foods all contain carbohydrates:

• vegetables
• fruit
• dairy
• nuts
• seeds
• lentils
• chick peas
• soy products
• olives
• avocado
• pasta
• bread
• rice
• couscous
• cakes
• biscuits
• lollies
• apple pie
• ice-cream

Carbohydrates are important to us, as they are the primary source of energy for our bodies. They provide essential fuel to our brains, and are the main source of fuel for our muscles. We use carbohydrate to fuel the functioning, movement and activity of our bodies. Every time a muscle contracts, every time your heart beats, every time you speak, smile or think about something, you’re using carbohydrates. So we all need them and we need them every day.

While this food group is an important part of a healthy diet, many people do eat too much carbohydrate and these excess kilojoules can be converted to fat in the body. It is also true that some carbohydrates are better for you than others. Eating a diet too high in carbs and eating too many of the wrong sort, increases your risk of putting on weight, of obesity and also diabetes.

The take home message

Yes, you should be including some carbohydrates in your diet. It’s impossible to avoid them, without severely limiting your diet and becoming a complete carnivore.

However, it is advisable to limit your intake of the grain-based carbohydrates. These are the foods we can end up eating too much of and can contribute to weight gain. Instead, fill up on vegies and restrict the grain-based carbohydrates to about 25 percent of your meal.

Reminder about Q & A Thursday

Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email. For more information you can take a look at the Q & A Thursday archives.

Photograph by minnibeach under the terms of a creative commons license.

26 September, 2007