Developing Kidney Stones Rises As Well.’’Drug Topics
(September 13, 2004): 36.
Bell, John R. ‘‘Jury Out on Value of Low-Carb Diets.’’
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Chernikoff, Lisa. ‘‘Low-Carb Mania: A University of
Michigan Expert Explains Why Low-Carb Diets are
Not the Best Choice.’’American Fitness(May-June
2004): 45–48.
Last, Allen R., and Stephen A. Wilson. ‘‘Low-Carbohydrate
Diets.’’American Family Physician(June 1, 2006):
1942–48.
Marks, Jennifer B. ‘‘The Weighty Issue of Low-Carb Diets,
or Is the Carbohydrate the Enemy?’’Clinical Diabetes
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McVeigh, Gloria. ‘‘Why Low-Carb Diets Work.’’Prevention
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Shaughnessy, Allen F. ‘‘Low-Carb Diets Are Equal to Low-
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Sullivan, Michele G. ‘‘Teens Lose More Weight With Less
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ORGANIZATIONS
American Academy of Family Physicians. 11400 Tomahawk
Creek Parkway, Leawood, KS 66207. Telephone: (800)
274-2237. Website:<http://www.aafp.org>.
American College of Nutrition. 300 South Duncan Ave.,
Suite 225, Clearwater, FL 33755. Telephone: (727) 446-- Website:http://www.amcollnutr.org.
American Diabetes Association. 1701 N. Beauregard St.,
Alexandria, VA 22311. Telephone: (800) 342-2383.
Website:http://www.diabetes.org.
American Dietetic Association. 120 South Riverside Plaza,
Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995. Telephone: (800)
877-1600. Website:http://www.eatright.org.
American Society for Nutrition. 9650 Rockville Pike,
Bethesda, MD 20814. Telephone: (301) 634-7050.
Website:http://www.nutrition.org.
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. 3101 Park
Center Drive, 10th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22302-1594.
Telephone: (703) 305-7600. Website:http://www
.cnpp.usda.gov.
Ken R. WellsCarbohydrates
Definition
Carbohydrates are compounds that consist of car-
bon, hydrogen, and oxygen, linked together by
energy-containing bonds. There are two types of
carbohydrates: complex and simple. The complex car-
bohydrates, such as starch andfiber, are classified aspolysaccharides. Simple carbohydrates are known as
sugars and they are classified as either monosacchar-
ides (one sugar molecule) or disaccharides (two sugar
molecules).Purpose
In the digestive tract, carbohydrates are broken
down into glucose, which provides energy for the
body’s cells and tissues. Glucose is the body’s primary
source of fuel.Description
Carbohydrates are one of the three major food
groups, along with proteins andfats. They are essen-
tial to human life and health. Carbohydrates are either
simple or complex. Both have four calories per gram,
and both are further reduced by the body to glucose,
but complex carbohydrates, which undergo most of
their digestion in the large intestine, take longer to
digest. Carbohydrates come almost exclusively from
plants, vegetables, and grains. Milk is the only animal-
based product that contains a significant amount of
carbohydrate. Simple carbohydrates include the single
sugars, or monosaccharides, and the double sugars, or
disaccharides. The monosaccharides include glucose,
fructose, and galactose. Disaccharides include lactose,CarbohydratesRefined and processed Whole grain and high-fiber
carbohydrates carbohydrates
White bread 100% whole wheat bread
White rice Oatmeal
White potatoes Brown rice
Pasta Whole wheat pasta
Sugary cereals Whole grain crackers
Cinnamon toast Popcorn
Sweets Cornmeal
Jellies Hulled barley
Candy Whole wheat bulgur
Soft drinks Bran cereals
Sugars Rye wafer crackers
Fruit drinks (fruitades and English muffins
fruit punch) Dry beans and peas
Cakes, cookies and pies Navy beans
Dairy desserts Kidney beans
Ice cream Split peas
Sweetened yogurt Lentils
Sweetened milk White beans
Pinto beans
Green peas
Soybeans
Whole fruits, fresh, frozen
or canned
Vegetables
Low-fat milk(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)Carbohydrates