{"id":10063,"date":"2020-04-29T13:00:28","date_gmt":"2020-04-29T17:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=10063"},"modified":"2026-01-20T19:51:04","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T00:51:04","slug":"what-are-carbohydrates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/what-are-carbohydrates\/","title":{"rendered":"What are carbs? Everything you need to know about carbohydrates"},"content":{"rendered":"

Picture this… You’re driving around, looking for a dinner spot, and Olive Garden catches your eye. The hostess offers a friendly welcome, but you can only focus on the sign next to her: the Never Ending Pasta Bowl. It’s glorious. And before you know it, you’re waist-deep in fettuccine Alfredo, penne bolognese, three-cheese lasagna, and baskets of breadsticks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You leave full and satisfied, ready for a nap. But that belly full of pasta comes with a body full of carbohydrates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There’s no shortage of conflicting viewpoints about this frequently-mired macronutrient. You’ve likely read about them in weight loss blogs, healthy diet recommendations, or high school health textbooks, varying sources that might label them as everything from the main weight gain culprit to an indispensable source of energy. But what, exactly, are carbohydrates? What do they do? Should you load up or keep your distance?<\/span><\/p>\n

This is the essential guide to carbs, everything you need to give them a healthy place in your daily diet. So, next time you’re downing plates of whole grains or pastries, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting into.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

For most people, the term carbohydrates conjures images of sugary treats, bread, and pasta. This is correct, but carb types and functions are a lot more nuanced. Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source. They’re one of the three macronutrient building blocks in a diet, along with fats and proteins. Carbs are in a multitude of different foods, from starches like white bread to grains like lentils, to fruits and vegetables.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the molecular level, they’re constructed from carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which combine in different ways to form one of two compounds: aldehydes or ketones. These compounds often form chains called polymers or polysaccharides. As the digestive system works on carbohydrate polymers, enzymes break them down into the simple sugar glucose, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered to the body’s cells. These cells will either use glucose as fuel right away or store it for later.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There are three main types of carbohydrates:<\/span><\/p>\n

Sugars<\/span><\/h3>\n

These are carbs in their most basic form. They’re called monosaccharides (simple sugars) and include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Foods containing monosaccharides often taste sweet because taste buds recognize them as sweet. Simple sugars are found in:<\/span><\/p>\n