Carbohydrates, or carbs, have recently gathered a bad reputation for their ability to cause weight gain, but not all carbs are unhealthy. In fact, carbs are actually essential to our diets.
What is a carb? Sugar, starch and fiber are three types of carbs commonly found in fruits, beans, milk and more. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that carbs make up 45% to 65% of an adult’s daily calorie intake.
Carbs are your body’s primary energy source. When you eat them, your body breaks the food into simple sugars that get absorbed into the bloodstream. Then, insulin is released into your body to move the sugar, or glucose, from your blood into your cells, where the sugar is stored for energy. This helps fuel your body for different activities from jogging to simple breathing. Without carbs, it will be hard to perform basic tasks.
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