“Am I eating enough or too much?” It can be nerve-wracking wondering if effective carbohydrate loading is being applied before a major race. Just because the belly is full doesn’t mean it’s full of ... Runner's World on MSN: Carb loading: How to get it right ahead of a marathon Carbohydrates — fiber, starches and sugars — are essential food nutrients.

Context Explanation

Your body turns carbs into glucose (blood sugar) to give you the energy you need to function. What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates are sugars in food. Carbohydrates also are the parts of food that the body doesn't digest, called fiber.

Insight Material

Carbohydrates are naturally found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains and dairy products. Carbohydrates also may be added to processed foods. Carbohydrates are central to nutrition and are found in a wide variety of natural and processed foods. Starch is a polysaccharide and is abundant in cereals (wheat, maize, rice), potatoes, and processed food based on cereal flour, such as bread, pizza or pasta. Foods high in carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet.

Final Conclusion

Carbohydrates provide the body with glucose, which is converted to energy used to support bodily functions and physical activity. Carbohydrates are a class of naturally occurring compounds, probably the most abundant and widespread organic substances in nature. They are essential constituents of all living things. There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly and send immediate bursts of glucose (energy) into the bloodstream.