Carbohydrates are essential elements needed by the human body. As the body breaks sugars to be formed into glucose, a good source of glucose will facilitate in feeding the entire cells of the body. Any inadequacy and influx might lead to adverse effects, thus, it is vital that the supply of sugar in the body is distributed in moderation.
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What are the functions of Carbohydrates? Both the simple and complex carbohydrates have key functions. Read on:
oCarbohydrates are a good source of energy for the body.
oCarbohydrates serve as main shield and protector to the muscles, as it helps in the proper regulation of sugar into the blood stream to ensure that each and every cell is supplied with adequate amounts of carbohydrates.
oCarbohydrates are one of those that functions in cell fertilization, growth and development.
oThere is nothing compared to the source of energy provided by carbohydrates that even proteins do not simply suffice.
What are the functions of Carbohydrates? Complex carbohydrates are excellent source of fiber. Conversely, simple carbohydrates are those that are provided by fruits, dairy products and vegetables.
What are the functions of carbohydrates? Any person engaged in an intense and active lifestyle will greatly benefit from the kind of functions and advantages carbohydrates do to the body. Therefore, carbohydrate intake will rely heavily on the level of activity a person is engaged with. Keep in mind that any unused consumed carbohydrates will result to stored fats. So, you have to follow the minimum daily requirement of carbohydrates in the body so as not to facilitate in converting it to fats that will eventually pave way to weight gain.
Carbohydrates fuel our bodies. They are the petrol in our bodies' tanks. The human body needs a constant supply of energy and it gets this energy by converting food into sugar or glucose. Not only is glucose essential for the energy we need to engage in any physical activity, but also it is essential for proper organ function. For example, the brain needs a constant supply of large quantities of glucose. The best source of glucose is carbohydrates because they convert easier than fat or protein. This means our diet must include foods that contain carbohydrates to maintain good health, in fact, to simply function at all.
Simple and Complex Carbohydrates
There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are so called because they are made up of one sugar. Some of them we already know: sucrose, which is white sugar; glucose, which is corn sugar; fructose, which is fruit sugar; maltose, which is found in beer. Complex carbohydrates were given the name because they are made of more than one type of sugar. The main difference between them is the time they take to break down in the body. Simple carbohydrates break down quickly, while the complex take longer.
Both types are important to our bodies and should be included in our diet. There are times when we carbs and brain function need to pick up quickly, say after strenuous exercise. That's when simple carbohydrates come in. They give us that surge of energy to help us keep going or to replace the energy we have just expended. On the other hand, the complex type will sustain us longer because they are being converted into energy over longer period of time. They still break down into glucose, but take longer to do it.
Carbohydrates Convert to Sugar
Carbohydrates simply convert to sugar. The sugars in the body, called saccharides, keep the cells healthy by communicating with one another. In fact, that is their main function. They are actually in all living things, such as plants, and there are around 200 of them in the human body. Human breast milk has a number of natural sugars, which underlines their importance. Monosaccharides, which are sugars in the simplest form, are essential for metabolism. Which means, if we do not get enough, our food is not broken down properly to the life-giving components we need.
The importance of carbohydrates in our diet cannot be under rated. That is why low carbohydrate diets can be dangerous and can lead to health problems. It is much better to have a diet that has a balance of protein and carbohydrates.