Carbohydrates
The bodies natural fuel for activity
Carbohydrates, or carbs as they are commonly known, provide essential fuel for the body. Two forms of carbohydrates exist; simple, smaller particles (monosaccharides and disaccharides) and complex, larger particles (oligosaccharides and polyaccharides). Consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules, Carbohydrates are often also referred to as sugars or starches.
Carbohydrates, as their name suggests ‘hydrate’ the body with nutritional ‘fuel’. They are essential for the maintenance of the immune system as well as for the development of the body. As well as providing fuel, Carbohydrates are the building blocks for nucleic acid which helps to direct protein to cells in need throughout the body.
Processed in the liver to form glucose for easy absorption, simple carbohydrates (sugar) come from foods such as fruit and dairy and complex carbohydrates (starch) come from foods such as vegetables and pasta. Simple carbohydrates provide a quick energy boost whilst complex carbohydrates provide a slower long term energy supply as, by their nature, take longer to break down. Although carbohydrates are not essential to the body as fuel can be gained from fats and proteins, carbohydrates are more effective as not all the amino acids in protein, for instance, can be used for energy.
Carbohydrates, if not used immediately, once broken down, are converted into more space efficient forms and stored as glycogen by the body. Stored in the liver and muscles, 1-2% of total mass, they are then available to be turned quickly into glucose for a quick energy boost. The level of carbohydrates stored by the body depends on the level of physical exertion it is expecting however when the liver and muscles are full of glycogen, they are stored as fat.
