Carbohydrates are the name for one type of food that the human body uses for energy to allow it to work. There are two other major groups of food types. These are proteins and fats. All three of these types of food must be present in a person's diet for it to be classed as a healthy diet, and enable the body to function correctly. This article will concentrate on how one of these groups work in the body. On how carbs work.

There are two types of carbohydrates. The simple, and the complex carbohydrates. Both types are digested by the body to release glucose. This glucose is then transported in the blood around the body for the cells to use for energy. The pancreas gland in your abdomen releases the hormone insulin which controls the amount of glucose used by your cells. If you eat more glucose than your body needs for energy, this is converted into glycogen which is stored in the liver or in fat around the body.

Simple carbohydrates are also known as "sugars". Various names are glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose. In fact if you look at the list of ingredients on a food label very rarely will you see sugar as an ingredient. The manufacturer will usually list one of the other names. Could this be to try and fool us into thinking there is less sugar in a product? Simple carbohydrates are digested very quickly by the body. They will get into the bloodstream rapidly and be available for the body to use within a few minutes. This can be very useful if you are working hard such as exercising or manual labor and need a quick energy boost. Unfortunately this energy lift does not last long with simple carbohydrates. The energy is rapidly used up by the cells. This can result in a noticeable energy slump. Then we maybe tempted to have more "sugars" again. This is what can happen if we eat lots of high sugar products such as candy, chocolate or cakes.

Complex carbohydrates are also know as "starchy" foods. Complex carbs are made up of chains of glucose molecules. Examples of complex carbs are potatoes, bread, rice,and pasta. These types of foods take longer for the body to digest. Therefore the energy is available to the body for a longer period of time. Also the energy is released at a much more steady rate, so there are no spikes and troughs. Complex carbs are said to "fill you up" and deliver long-lasting energy.

Both types of carbohydrates are essential for our bodies to work correctly. If we want to change our bodies, as for instance during weight loss, we need to understand how carbs work.