Carbohydrates

 NH Episode 4

Carbohydrate is the name used to classify different types of sugars (digestible carbohydrate, fibres and other groups of non-digestible complex sugars which we can’t digest). They are the primary, most abundant and most important source of energy found in our daily food options. Our Carbohydrate intake should be between 45-65% of our daily diet depending on lifestyle and nutritional requirements. The benefits of carbohydrates cannot be overemphasized in order for us to maintain a healthy lifestyle. As a matter of fact, Carbohydrates are almost impossible to totally eliminate from our diet.

Howbeit, we need only a certain amount of carbohydrates daily, anything more than that range can lead to health challenges and some of this challenges can be acute(sudden) or chronic (long term):

Hyperglycemia

Diabetes

Obesity

Sluggish brain

Fatigue

Acne

Tooth cavities

Bloat.

Whereas, low carbohydrate intake has its own problems too:

Hypoglycemia

Nausea.

Dizziness.

Constipation.

Fatigue.

Dehydration.

Bad breath (halitosis).

Loss of appetite.

 

So where do we get carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates can be gotten from many food sources, in fact in almost every plant food carbohydrate is a major food gotten from plants. Some sources of carbohydrates are:

Tubers – Yams, potatoes, cocoyam

Legumes and pulses – Beans, peas

Cereals – Maize, sorghum, wheat, rice, millet, oats

Vegetables – Usually indigestible

Fruits

Contrary to popular beliefs, we can actually recommend some carbohydrate foods to diabetic patients due to their low glycemic index. We’ll be covering more on this in subsequent posts.

Note:

- We don't guarantee any curative remedies, we only recommend for health management. Consult with your Physician/Doctor for appropriate treatment