Learning About Carbohydrates

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are an important nutrient you get from food. It's a great source of energy for your body and helps your brain and nervous system work properly.

How does your body use carbohydrates?

After you eat food with carbs in it, your body digests the carbohydrates and turns them into a kind of sugar that goes into your blood. The blood carries this sugar to the cells in your body. The cells use the sugar to give you energy. Extra sugar is stored in the cells for later use. If it isn't used, it turns into fat.

What foods contain carbohydrates?

The healthiest carbohydrate choices are breads, cereals, and pastas made with whole grains; brown rice; low-fat dairy products; vegetables; legumes such as peas, lentils, and beans; and fruits.

Foods made from refined flour, including bread, pasta, doughnuts, cookies, and desserts, also contain carbohydrates (carbs). And carbs are in foods and drinks that have sugar, such as candy or soda.

How can you make healthy carb choices?

Here are some tips for making healthy carb choices:

• Choose whole-grain products for at least half of the grains you eat each day. Go to www.choosemyplate.gov to learn how many servings you need.
  • Choose bread that lists whole wheat (or other whole grains), stone-ground wheat, or cracked wheat as the first ingredient.
  • Eat brown rice, bulgur, or millet instead of white rice.
  • Eat pasta and cereals made from whole grain flour instead of refined flour.
• Eat several servings a day of fresh fruits and vegetables. These include raspberries, apples, figs, oranges, pears, prunes, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, corn, peas, and beans. And there are lots of other fruits and vegetables to choose from.
• Choose fruit instead of fruit juice. Fruit juice does not have the valuable fiber that whole fruit has.
• Limit sugar-sweetened foods and drinks. This includes candy, desserts, fruit drinks, and soda.