{"id":35344,"date":"2022-08-26T08:42:31","date_gmt":"2022-08-26T06:42:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35344"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:12:00","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:12:00","slug":"carbohydrates-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/carbohydrates-complete-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about carbohydrates"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Carbohydrates <\/span>are a macronutrient<\/b> many people love and others fear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why the poor reputation? Are they really as bad as people say? Let’s explore.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What are carbohydrates?<\/span><\/h2>\n

First, are <\/span>carbs and carbohydrates<\/b> the same thing?<\/span><\/p>\n

Yes. These names refer to the same macronutrient, made from <\/span>carbon, hydrogen and oxygen<\/b>. Metabolising these compounds supplies <\/span>energy<\/b> and produces carbon dioxide and water.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What do carbohydrates do?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Their main role is supplying <\/span>energy or fuel<\/b> for bodily functions. They provide readily usable energy: <\/span>glucose<\/b> is metabolised to generate <\/span>ATP<\/b> through pathways including <\/span>glycolysis<\/b>. Cells use this <\/span>ATP<\/b> for the <\/span>energy<\/b> they need.<\/span><\/p>\n

Glucose <\/span>is also<\/b> a major <\/span>energy source<\/b> for the <\/span>brain<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

That helps explain why <\/span>removing carbohydrates entirely<\/b> because of a fashionable TikTok is not a sound starting point.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Different<\/p>\n

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What types of carbohydrate are there?<\/span><\/h2>\n

You may have heard that not all <\/span>carbohydrates are good.<\/span><\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

Rather than labelling them good or bad, consider which type suits a particular time and purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n

As we often say, <\/span>nutrition<\/b> does <\/span>not have a single answer for everyone<\/b>: too many individual factors are involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

We can explain the differences between <\/span>simple carbohydrates<\/b> and <\/span>complex carbohydrates<\/b> without assigning moral labels.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Simple carbohydrates<\/strong><\/h3>\n

These are<\/span> smaller molecules<\/b> that can supply <\/span>energy<\/b> readily, which may be useful <\/span>just before training<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

They include:<\/span><\/p>\n