Why Does Your Body Need Carbohydrates?

Why does your body need carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates, often called carbs, are one of the main nutrients found in food.

Along with protein and fat, carbohydrates are a major source of energy in the diet.

Carbohydrates are found in many everyday foods, including rice, bread, fruit, milk, beans, potatoes, and other plant foods.

What do carbohydrates do in the body?

One of the main roles of carbohydrates is to provide energy.

During digestion, sugars and most starches are broken down into glucose.

Glucose can then be used by your cells, tissues, and organs for energy. Some glucose can also be stored in the liver and muscles for later use.

Fiber is also a carbohydrate, but most fiber is not broken down in the same way as sugars and starches.

What are the main types of carbohydrates?

There are three main types of carbohydrates:

• sugars
• starches
• fiber

Sugars

Sugars are sometimes called simple carbohydrates.

Some sugars occur naturally in foods such as:

• fruits
• vegetables
• milk
• yogurt

Sugars can also be added to foods and drinks during processing or preparation.

Examples include sugar added to:

• soft drinks
• sweets
• cakes
• cookies
• desserts

Naturally occurring sugar and added sugar are both carbohydrates, but the foods containing them can have very different overall nutrition profiles.

Starches

Starches are made from many sugar units joined together.

Foods containing starch include:

• rice
• bread
• pasta
• cereals
• potatoes
• corn
• peas
• beans
• lentils

The body breaks most starches down into glucose that can be used for energy.

Fiber

Fiber is also a type of carbohydrate.

Unlike sugars and most starches, much of dietary fiber is not fully broken down by the human digestive system.

Fiber is found mainly in plant foods such as:

• fruits
• vegetables
• whole grains
• beans
• lentils
• nuts
• seeds

Eat Ate Here tracks fiber separately because it has an important nutritional role of its own.

Which foods contain carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are found in a wide variety of foods.

Common sources include:

• rice and other grains
• bread and pasta
• fruits
• milk and yogurt
• beans, peas, and lentils
• potatoes and other starchy vegetables
• cereals
• sweets and desserts
• sugar-sweetened drinks

You can explore examples in Eat Ate Here, including white rice, banana, and fresh milk.

Not every carbohydrate-containing food has the same nutritional value. A food can provide carbohydrates together with fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, fat, or added sugars.

Are simple carbohydrates bad and complex carbohydrates good?

Not necessarily.

The terms simple and complex describe the chemical structure of carbohydrates, but they do not tell you everything about the quality of a food.

For example, fruit contains naturally occurring sugars but can also provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

A highly refined food may contain starch but provide less fiber than a less refined version of the same grain.

This is why it is more useful to look at the whole food rather than judging it only by whether its carbohydrates are called simple or complex.

Are carbohydrates the same as sugar?

No.

Sugar is one type of carbohydrate.

Carbohydrates also include starches and fiber.

A Nutrition Facts label may therefore show both:

• Total Carbohydrate
• Total Sugars

The sugar amount is part of the food’s total carbohydrate amount rather than a completely separate nutrient.

Are carbohydrates bad for you?

Carbohydrates themselves are not automatically good or bad.

The source and overall food matter.

For example, carbohydrates can come from:

• whole grains
• fruit
• beans and lentils
• vegetables
• milk and yogurt

They can also come from foods and drinks high in added sugars.

These foods can contain similar amounts of carbohydrate while providing very different amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein, fat, and calories.

How much carbohydrate do you need?

There is no single carbohydrate amount that is appropriate for everyone.

Individual needs can vary according to factors such as:

• age
• body size
• activity level
• total energy needs
• pregnancy
• health status
• personal nutrition goals

Because of this, a carbohydrate target should be understood in the context of the person’s overall diet rather than treated as one universal number.

Eat Ate Here can help you see how much carbohydrate your logged foods contribute to your daily nutrition, but it does not replace individualized advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

How do carbohydrates fit into overall nutrition?

Carbohydrates are one part of the bigger nutrition picture.

Eat Ate Here tracks carbohydrates alongside:

• protein
• water
• total fat
• fiber
• vitamins
• minerals

Calories are tracked separately as energy.

Instead of asking only:

How many carbs does this food contain?

It can also be useful to ask:

What else does this food provide?

Looking at the full nutrition profile gives more context for comparing foods and understanding your daily intake.

Practical takeaway

Carbohydrates are a major nutrient found in many common foods.

They include sugars, starches, and fiber. Sugars and most starches can provide glucose for energy, while fiber has a different role in digestion and overall nutrition.

Rather than judging a food only by its carbohydrate number, look at the food as a whole and consider the fiber, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it provides.