Carbohydrates are essential food nutrients that your body turns into glucose to give you the energy to function. Complex carbs in fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products are less likely to spike blood sugar than simple carbs (sugars). There are three types of carbohydrates: Fiber, Starches and Sugars.
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FiberFiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Though most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules, and instead it passes through the body undigested. Fiber helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check.
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StarchesStarches are the most commonly consumed type of carb. They are classified as complex carbs since they consist of many sugar molecules joined together. Whole-food starches gradually release sugar into the blood, rather than causing blood sugar levels to spike rapidly.
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SugarWhen people eat a food containing carbohydrates, the digestive system breaks down the digestible ones into sugar, which enters the blood
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A diet rich in carbohydrates increases both endurance and intermittent high-intensity performance because of the extra store of carbohydrates in the muscles and liver, called glycogen. It is well documented that athletes need to replenish carbohydrate stores in the body, especially during periods of intense training or competition.
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Sugars are divided into two categories: monosaccarides & disaccarides. Monosaccarides are the simplest version of sugars and are the building blocks of disaccarides.
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