What are carbohydrates?

Your body uses carbohydrates (carbs) to make glucose which is the fuel that gives you energy and helps keep everything going.  Your body can use glucose immediately or store it in your liver and muscles for when it is needed.

You can find carbohydrates in the following:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Breads, cereals, and other grains
• Milk and milk products
• Foods containing added sugars (e.g., cakes, cookies, and sugar-sweetened beverages).

Healthier foods higher in carbohydrates include ones that provide dietary fiber and whole grains as well as those without added sugars.

What about foods higher in carbohydrates such as sodas and candies that also contain added sugars? Those are the ones that add extra calories but not many nutrients to your diet.

There are two main types of carbohydrates:

• Complex carbohydrates
• Simple carbohydrates

• Starch is in certain vegetables (i.e., potatoes, dry beans, peas, and corn).
• Starch is also found in breads, cereals, and grains.
• Dietary fiber is in vegetables, fruits, and whole grain foods.

• Oatmeal
• Oat bran
• Nuts and seeds
• Most fruits (e.g., strawberries, blueberries, pears, and apples)
• Dry beans and peas

Try these tips to jumpstart your intake of dietary fiber:

• Choose whole fruits more often than fruit juice. Fresh, frozen, or canned, it doesn't matter, they all count!
• Try to eat two vegetables with your evening meal.
• Keep a bowl of veggies already washed and prepared your refrigerator, try carrots, cucumbers, or celery for a quick snack.
• Make a meal around dried beans or peas (also called legumes) instead of meat. Check www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov for some new ideas.
• Choose whole grain foods more often. Take a look at the "whole grains buzz words list" below to help you decide. A good guide is to make at least ½ of your grain choices be whole grains.
• Start your day with a whole grain breakfast cereal low in added sugar. Top your cereal with fruit for even more fiber. While bananas may come to your mind first, you can add even more variety by also trying sliced peaches or berries. You can often find these fruits year-round in the frozen foods section of your grocery store.

Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates include sugars found naturally in foods such as fruits, vegetables milk, and milk products. Simple carbohydrates also include sugars added during food processing and refining.4 What's the difference? In general, foods with added sugars have fewer nutrients than foods with naturally-occurring sugars