Carbohydrates are dietary nutrients which include sugars, starches, and fibers and are the body's main source of energy. All sugars and starches are carbohydrates. However, most are transformed by the body into a substance called glucose. Glucose is a form of sugar that is carried into the blood and transported to the cells for energy. Any glucose not used is either converted to glycogen (GLIE-co-jen), another form of carbohydrates, or converted to body fat. There are basically two types of carbohydrates: Simple carbohydrates, which are the sugars, and complex carbohydrates, which are the starches. Sugars come in many forms. In their pure form, they are called such names as fructose (FRUE-tose) and glucose, or they are identified by their sources, such as maple syrup or honey. Of course, sugar is also found in soft drinks and sweets. Sugar also occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. Complex carbohydrates are found in grains such as breads, rice, pasta, and vegetables such as potatoes and beans. Although both simple and complex carbohydrates contain the exact same number of calories as protein, which is four calories per gram, foods high in complex carbohydrates usually contain nutritional extras. These nutritional extras are vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Many 'sweets' are high in calories and relatively low in other nutrients. However, many natural sweets, like fruit, contain the simple sugars and also have vitamins and minerals. For more information on carbohydrates, contact a health care professional.
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