Having previously done a fairly detailed guide to dietary fats along with a complete guide to dietary protein I wanted to do a similar primer on dietary carbohydrates. I won’t be discussing the various controversies that surround carbohydrates and fats since they are discussed elsewhere on the site. Rather, I just want to focus on some basic definitions and concepts since there tends to be a lot of general confusion over the topic of carbohydrates.
What is a Carbohydrate?
The term carbohydrate is sort of an overall classification referring to a number of different organic compounds, which I’m going to detail below. You may often see the abbreviation CHO (for Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen) to refer to carbohydrate. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, I’m not going to discuss fiber in detail in this article. Rather I’d refer you to Fiber – It’s Natures Broom for a detailed look.
As I have discussed in many articles on the site, the primary role of carbohydrate in the body is energetic, that is it is broken down in cells to provide energy through a variety of pathways. … Keep Reading