Why Carbohydrates Are Important In The Body

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Carbs and diets, we all know they don’t go together. You constantly hear people saying they’re on a diet, so they can’t eat things like pasta and potatoes. Why can’t we eat these things when we are on a diet? what defines a carbohydrate? In lecture and lab, we learned all of the basics about Carbohydrates and how it is applied in real life; things like the different groups, what they do, where they come from, and their importance in the body. In lecture, we learned that carbohydrates are compounds that include: sugars, starch, and cellulose; the latter existing in plants. Carbohydrates function as an energy source, provide cell structure, and aid in cell identification. All carbohydrates are made up of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen, Hydrogen …show more content…
As I stated in my second paragraph, carbohydrates provide an energy source; thus, making them essential for the body to function. Without it, your blood sugar will drop too low and can lead to many health issue. Also, not getting enough carbohydrates can actually hinder your diet. According to mayoclinic.org, “The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbohydrates make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories.” (Carbohydrates: How Carbs Fit into a Healthy Diet). If you aren’t getting enough carbohydrates, the body starts to worry that it’s not going to get enough nutrients; so it stores more for later use. Some ‘healthy’ carbohydrates you can eat are those found in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Most recommended staying away from added sugars and even some naturally occurring ones too. Things like dried fruit, juices, white bread, and pasta are all no goes when you’re trying to lose weight. So, all those juice cleanses that people claim to help you lose weight aren’t actually that good for you. This is because of the amount of sugar that resides in these fruits. All in all, there’s not much you can do to truly lose weight and keep it off. The best diet you can do is try to eat healthy by choosing the right foods, and exercise

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