Diet & Fitness 

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All about carbs

Carbohydrates are the ideal fuel source for your body. You can get energy from three other sources — fat, protein and alcohol — but carbs are the most efficient. There are two kinds of carbs:

1. starches (or complex carbohydrates)
2. sugars (or simple carbohydrates)

Your body will convert either kind of carb to the fuel (glucose) it uses for energy. Your muscles and brain require glucose for energy. Muscles, however, can burn fat for fuel when lacking glucose, and they can store excess glucose for future use. Your brain, however, needs a steady supply of glucose from the blood. This is why our mood and behaviour are affected by our blood sugar level.

Simple carbohydrates (sugars) include naturally-occurring sugars such as lactose (in milk) and fructose (in fruits and honey), as well as processed sugars like sucrose (table sugar). Other simple sugars include brown sugar, molasses and maple syrup.

Simple sugars are easily converted to glucose and enter the bloodstream shortly after consumption. This can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, giving you a quick burst of energy and a rapid boost in your mood. If blood sugar levels rise too high, your body reacts by secreting insulin to clear out the excess. This often results in headaches and hunger.

Potatoes, grains and grain products are our main sources of complex carbohydrates (whole grains). Most complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly than simple sugars and release glucose at a slower rate, resulting in a steadier level of blood glucose.

Whether you consume simple sugars or whole grains, pound for pound you still get the same amount of energy:

One gram of carbohydrate contains four calories. If the nutrition panel on the side of a box of biscuits says one serving contains 15g of carbohydrates, you can determine that you are getting sixty calories from those carbohydrates (15g x 4 calories/g = 60 calories).

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