Carbohydrates

Another type of macronutrient is a carbohydrate. What is a carbohydrate? Well, besides being another macronutrient, it is also an important nutrient that we need in our bodies. It provides the immediate energy that our bodies need to perform daily activities like walking from place to place or playing outside.

Carbohydrates or "Carbs" are considered "unhealthy" or "something to avoid for weight loss". This may be true, but is only unhealthy for a teenager if taken in unhealthy amounts just like fat. You see there are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are also called simple sugars are made up of two different monosaccharide to form a disaccharide. Simple sugars can come in many forms like fructose, sucrose, glucose, maltose, and lactose. Some examples of simple sugar foods are lollipops, white sugar, and energy drinks.An example on simple sugars


The latter (complex sugars) are, as the name states, more complex than its other counterpart. The reason why complex sugars are more complex is because they are comprised of hundreds of monosaccharide that link together. This form of carbohydrates takes a longer time to break down, which results in a longer form of energy than simple sugars. Forms of complex sugars are Fiber and Starch. Starch is a complex sugar that breaks down into simple sugars then into glucose, where it can provide energy for the body. Foods that contain starch are bread, cereal, potatoes, and pasta. Fiber is another form of complex sugars and is the things that cannot be digested in the body, but help regulates the food through the digestive system. Examples of fiber are nuts, whole-grain, and bran foods.
A good source of complex sugars!

Carbohydrates are very important in living a healthy lifestyle. They are the main source of energy that the body needs to perform daily tasks and activities, without them we would feel lousy and tired. The two forms that carbohydrates come in are simple and complex sugars. They both provide a source of energy, but the main differences are that simple sugars are good for an immediate source of energy, while complex sugars provide energy for a longer time. Both are very important, but it is recommended that teens limit the amount of simple sugars they take in and raise the amount of complex sugars they eat.

Info From:
http://www.uen.org/Lessonplan/preview?LPid=1264
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/carb.html#
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates/
Word Docs from Lifetime Fitness Large class

Pictures From:
http://thejewishstar.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/gatorade-20-oz-line-up1.jpg