A carbohydrate is an organic compound that consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio

of 2:1 (as in water); in other words, with the empirical formula Cm(H2O)n. (Some exceptions exist; for example, deoxyribose, a component of DNA, has the empirical formula C5H10O4.) Carbohydrates are not technically hydrates of carbon. Structurally it is more accurate to view them as polyhydroxy aldehydes and ketones. The term is most common in biochemistry, where it is a synonym of saccharide. The carbohydrates (saccharides) are divided into four chemical groupings: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. In general, the monosaccharides and disaccharides, which are smaller (lower molecular weight) carbohydrates, are commonly referred to as sugars.[1] The word saccharide comes from the Greek word (skkharon), meaning "sugar." While the scientific nomenclature of carbohydrates is complex, the names of the monosaccharides and disaccharides very often end in the suffix -ose. For example, blood sugar is the monosaccharide glucose, table sugar is the disaccharide sucrose, and milk sugar is the disaccharide lactose (see illustration). Carbohydrates perform numerous roles in living organisms. Polysaccharides serve for the storage of energy (e.g., starch and glycogen), and as structural components (e.g., cellulose in plants and chitin in arthropods). The 5-carbon monosaccharide ribose is an important component of coenzymes (e.g., ATP, FAD, and NAD) and the backbone of the genetic molecule known as RNA. The related deoxyribose is a component of DNA. Saccharides and their derivatives include many other important biomolecules that play key roles in the immune system, fertilization, preventing pathogenesis, blood clotting, and development.[2] In food science and in many informal contexts, the term carbohydrate often means any food that is particularly rich in the complex carbohydrate starch (such as cereals, bread, and pasta) or simple carbohydrates, such as sugar (found in candy, jams, and desserts). Carbohydrates are often found in many energy bars and isotonics due to the energy that is contained.

Nutrition
Grain products: rich sources of carbohydrates Foods high in carbohydrate include fruits, sweets, soft drinks, breads, pastas, beans, potatoes, bran, rice, and cereals. Carbohydrates are a common source of energy in living organisms; however, no carbohydrate is an essential nutrient in humans.[9] Carbohydrates are not necessary building blocks of other molecules, and the body can obtain all its energy from protein and fats.[9][10] The brain and neurons generally cannot burn fat for energy, but use glucose or ketones. Humans can synthesize some glucose (in a set of processes known as gluconeogenesis) from specific amino acids, from the glycerol backbone in triglycerides and in some cases from fatty acids. Carbohydrate and protein contain 4 calories per gram, while fats contain 9 calories per gram. In the case of protein, this is somewhat misleading as only some amino acids are usable for fuel. Organisms typically cannot metabolize all types of carbohydrate to yield energy. Glucose is a nearly universal and accessible source of calories. Many organisms also have the ability to metabolize other monosaccharides and Disaccharides, though glucose is preferred. In Escherichia coli, for example, the lac operon will express enzymes for the digestion of lactose when it is present, but if both lactose and glucose are present the lac operon is repressed, resulting in the glucose being used first (see: Diauxie). Polysaccharides are also common sources of energy. Many organisms can easily break down starches into glucose, however, most organisms cannot metabolize cellulose or other polysaccharides like chitin and arabinoxylans. These carbohydrates types can be metabolized by some bacteria and protists. Ruminants and termites, for example, use microorganisms to process cellulose. Even though these complex carbohydrates are not very digestible, they may comprise important dietary elements for humans. Called dietary fiber, these carbohydrates enhance digestion among other benefits.[11] Based on the effects on risk of heart disease and obesity,[12] the Institute of Medicine recommends that American and Canadian adults get between 4565% of dietary energy from carbohydrates.[13] The Food and Agriculture Organization and World Health Organization jointly recommend that national dietary guidelines set a goal of 5575% of total energy from carbohydrates, but only 10% directly from sugars (their term for simple carbohydrates).[14]

Classification
Historically nutritionists have classified carbohydrates as either simple or complex. However, the exact delineation of these categories is ambiguous. Today, simple carbohydrate typically refers to monosaccharides and disaccharides and complex carbohydrate means polysaccharides (and oligosaccharides). However, the term complex carbohydrate was first used in slightly different context in the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs publication Dietary Goals for the United States (1977). In this work, complex carbohydrate were defined as "fruit, vegetables and whole-grains".[15] Some nutritionists use complex carbohydrate to refer to any sort of digestible saccharide present in a whole food, where fiber, vitamins and minerals are also found (as opposed to processed carbohydrates, which provide calories but few other nutrients). Some simple carbohydrates(e.g. fructose) are digested very slowly, while some complex carbohydrates (starches), especially if processed, raise blood sugar rapidly. The speed of digestion is determined by a variety of factors including which other nutrients are consumed with the carbohydrate, how the food is prepared, individual differences in metabolism, and the chemistry of the carbohydrate.[citation needed] The USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 call for moderate- to high-carbohydrate consumption from a balanced diet that includes six one-ounce servings of grain foods each day, at least half from whole grain sources and the rest from enriched.[16] The glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load concepts have been developed to characterize food behavior during human digestion. They rank carbohydrate-rich foods based on the rapidity and magnitude of their effect on blood glucose levels. Glycemic index is a measure of how quickly food glucose is absorbed, while glycemic load is a measure of the total absorbable glucose in foods. The insulin index is a similar, more recent classification method that ranks foods based on their effects on blood insulin levels, which are caused by glucose (or starch) and some amino acids in food.

Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate-rich foods are the primary source of energy for all body functions. Your body breaks down carbohydrates, or carbs, into fuel for use by your cells and muscles - that's why eating a moderate amount of carbohydrates is necessary for most people. There are two types of carbs - sugars and starches. Sugars are simple carbohydrates that can be easily digested by your body and include foods like cake, soda, candy, jellies and fruits. Starches are complex carbohydrates that take longer to be digested and include foods such as breads, grains, pasta, tortillas, noodles, fruits and vegetables.
Other Nutrients:

Carbohydrates Fat Protein Sugar

Many carbohydrate-rich foods are loaded with other nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are not only great carbohydrate sources, theyre also excellent suppliers of vitamins A and C and many other vitamins and minerals. Most dairy products are also great sources of carbohydrates. Some foods rich in carbohydrates have fewer nutrients. Some foods rich in carbohydrates have fewer nutrients. Foods made from sugar (white, brown, powdered and raw) as well as corn syrup, honey and molasses are simple carbohydrates that provide little to the diet except extra calories, and too many extra calories in the diet can lead to excess body fat. Use the top layer of the Food Guide Pyramid as your guide, and limit your consumption of sugary foods - even if they do contain carbohydrates. Top Quality Carbohydrate Choices Do most of the carbs in your diet come from cookies, cakes and sugary foods? You don't necessarily need to cut back on the number of carbohydrates you eat, but you should try to eat foods that provide your body with more nutrients and less fat and sugar. Here are a few tips for making better carbohydrate choices: If you eat white bread, switch to bread made with stone ground whole-wheat flour. You can use it for sandwiches or French toast or you can grind it into breadcrumbs. If you like to snack on crackers that are high in fat and sodium, switch to whole-wheat crackers. For example, Triscuits are made with whole wheat, and come in reduced-fat and low-sodium varieties. Drinking milk is a great way to load up on quality carbs, but whole milk has a high fat content. Choose 1%, skim or skim milk fortified with calcium instead. Begin weaning yourself off whole milk by using skim for cooking and baking first before using it on cereal.

Learn how to use sugar and oil replacements in your cooking. Instead of oil, use applesauce or pureed prunes in muffins and cakes. Instead of sugar, Splenda and stevia are sweet-tasting replacers that can be used to prepare your food and drinks.

How Many Carbohydrates Should I Eat? Most medical experts say that 60 percent of the calories you eat every day should come from carbohydrates. To find out how many carbohydrates you need, multiply the number of calories you need by .6. For example, if you need 2,000 calories per day, 2,000 multiplied by .6 = 1,200. So you know you need 1,200 calories from carbohydrates. There are 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrate. Take your 1,200 calories and divide by 4 = 300 grams. Knowing the calories and the carbohydrate grams you need will help you when youre reading a food label. To calculate your daily carbohydrate requirement enter your daily caloric intake requirements in the space provide and click the "Calculate" button: Daily Caloric Intake = Daily Carbohydrates g Top Focus on Fiber Fiber is an important kind of carbohydrate that comes only from plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables and grains. The two types of fiber are soluble and non-soluble. Soluble fiber helps control blood sugar and may also lower cholesterol. Non-soluble fiber doesn't appear to lower blood sugar or cholesterol but may help reduce the risk of colon cancer. It also helps maintain bowel function. When choosing packaged breads, grains and cereals, use food labels to determine how much fiber a food contains. The fiber content of manufactured foods is listed on the Nutrition Facts label. Adults need between 20 and 35 grams of fiber every day, according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA). The organization reports that Americans currently are only eating between 12 and 17 grams a day. Good sources of soluble fiber include: Oat bran (although many commercial oat bran muffins and waffles actually have little fiber) Oatmeal Beans and legumes Peas Carrots Sweet potatoes Rice bran Barley Citrus fruits Strawberries Bananas Top Good sources of non-soluble fiber include: Whole-wheat breads Wheat cereal Wheat bran Rice (except for white rice) Barley Cabbage Beets Brussels sprouts Turnips Cauliflower Fruits and vegetables with skin