The Truth Behind Carbohydrates
Demetria Rochelle Elliott
Axia College of University of Phoenix
Com 150 Effective Essay Writing
Joy Doss
June 7, 2009
In today’s society, we consume carbohydrates on a regular basis from an assortment of foods, sometimes without even knowing it. Carbohydrates are in the majority of foods we eat during our day-to-day lives. With the low to no carbohydrate craze caused from such diets as the Atkins, South Beach, Smart ones, The Zone diet and the famous slim fast diet going on in the world these days, the public has steered away from the truth behind carbohydrates. The result? Individuals are not reaping the benefits offered by these vital nutrients. How can we obtain the benefits from carbohydrates while still continuing a healthy diet? Being knowledgeable of the truth behind carbohydrates in addition to consuming the recommended daily intake from healthy sources will not only support a healthy lifestyle but is also beneficial in many other ways.
Carbohydrates, also known as “carbs,” in the simplest form are merely elements of sugar. Carbohydrates come in a large variety of different foods and in a few different forms. These forms include sugars, starches and fiber that can be found in foods ranging from bread and rice to candy and cakes. Unfortunately, not all carbohydrates are created equal. Carbohydrates are categorized into one of two groups: simple carbohydrates (sugars) and complex carbohydrates that are formed from either one element of sugar (monosaccharides) or two elements of sugar (disaccharides) are known as simple sugars. These sugars are generally sweet in taste. These carbohydrates are found in fruit, candy, soda, and most other junk foods. Simple sugars are digested quickly and absorbed into the body to release energy. The two most common simple sugars are glucose and fructose; these are commonly in honey, syrups, candy, and cookies.
Glucose is the main form of sugar used for energy source for...