Understanding Carbohydrates Part One: The Importance of Carbohydrates on Health 

What we’ll cover: 

• Understand the definition of carbohydrates
• The three main carbohydrate forms
• How carbohydrates may fit into your daily intake

What is a carbohydrate?

Carbohydrates (carbs) are one of the three essential macronutrients and our bodies preferred source of energy. They can be found in both food and drinks, which when digested are broken down into their single molecule, glucose to be used as energy. 

Think of glucose as petrol or diesel and your body as the car. 

While our bodies use significant amounts of energy just to function, known as our basal metabolic rate—such as pumping blood, breathing, and fighting off pathogens—a large portion of our energy is also used for movement. Using the analogy of a car, you need to fuel the car to enable it to drive. The way in which you drive and the duration, speed will impact how much fuel you require.

Whilst primarily an energy source, carbohydrates are essential to the functioning and smooth operation of the human body. Some other key roles of carbohydrates in the human body include:

• Energy storage: Extra glucose gets stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles, ready to use when we need a quick boost, like during exercise. If we eat more carbs than our body can use immediately, they're turned into fat for long-term storage. Hormones like insulin and glucagon help manage blood sugar levels.
  

• Protein sparing: Carbohydrates spare proteins by providing the body with energy, allowing proteins to focus on building and repairing tissues. Adequate carb intake helps to prevent the breakdown of proteins for fuel, ensuring they are available for muscle growth, repair, and other vital functions, especially during exercise and recovery.
  

• Gut health: Carbohydrates, particularly dietary fibre, are vital for gut health. Fibre helps to add bulk to our stools, softens its consistency, and promotes regular bowel movements, helping prevent constipation and maintain digestive health. Prebiotics, a type of carbohydrate, feed beneficial gut bacteria, supporting a balanced microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome improves digestion, boosts immune function, and reduces inflammation. 
  

• Micronutrients: Carbohydrates provide essential micronutrients like B vitamins and minerals, supporting energy metabolism, brain function, and overall health. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are key sources of these vital nutrients.
  

Carbohydrate types

By definition, there are three main types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches, and fibre. Sugars provide quick energy and are found in fruits, and also added to foods such as confectionery and sweets. Starches are found in foods like potatoes and pasta, offering longer-lasting energy. Fibre aids digestion and supports gut health, found in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Below, we explore each type in more detail.

Sugars

Sometimes referred to as  ‘simple carbohydrates’, these carbohydrates tend to have poor nutritional profiles, and this is often down to processing which strips them of their natural health benefits (i.e. fibre) in order to create highly-palatable, refined (highly processed) foods.

Essentially, high calories with low nutritional value.  For example, sweet foods such as cakes and confectionery are high in calories due to the large amount of sugar that’s added to them, but low in most other nutrients. 

This will vary from product to product but the theme is largely consistent. For most plans on the Roczen journey, we recommend that you avoid consuming these carbohydrates regularly.

Starches

Starchy carbohydrates are an area of much debate given the negative impact they can have on our health when eaten in excess. These carbs tend to form the basis of many meals across the globe and may include rice, potatoes, pasta, cereals. For most plans on the Roczen journey, starchy carbs are something we recommend moderation of (depending on the plan your clinician prescribes), often to optimise blood sugar control and promote weight loss. When including starchy carbohydrates in your diet, it’s best to prioritise higher-fibre sources such as grains, beans and pulses as opposed to refined starchy carbs such as bread, white rice and white pasta.

Fibre-Rich

Fibre-rich foods are a form of complex carbohydrate, offering additional health benefits given the impact they have on our digestive health and microbiome (gut bacteria). Fibre-rich carbohydrates include things such as legumes, pulses, whole grains, nuts and seeds. These foods have a profound impact on our blood sugar regulation, whilst also helping us stay fuller for longer and therefore regulating our appetite. During your time at Roczen, high-fibre foods are encouraged alongside rich sources of protein and healthy fats.

Carbohydrate intake variances‍

Below are examples of how carbohydrates can be managed to fit into the diet. Each method will vary depending on the individual's body composition, goals, activity level and dietary requirements.

• Very low-carbohydrate (Less than 10% of daily calorie intake from carbohydrates or 20 to 50 grams per day)
  Otherwise known as a ‘Keto’ diet, the body is unable to obtain enough energy from glucose, and therefore breaks down an alternative energy source within fats, called ketones. This way of eating and achieving ‘ketosis’ is highly restrictive and hard to maintain in the long-term.
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• Low-carbohydrate (Less than 26% of daily calories from carbohydrates or less than 130 grams per day)
  This level restricts many carbohydrate-rich foods and is often used in diets like the ketogenic diet, aiming to promote weight loss and manage blood sugar levels.
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• Moderate-carbohydrate (26%-44% of daily calorie intake from carbohydrate)
  Generally involves consuming about 100-150 grams of carbohydrates per day. This level allows for a balanced diet including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, supporting sustained energy and overall health.
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• High-carbohydrate (45%, or greater, of daily calorie intake from carbohydrate)
  Involves consuming more than 150 grams of carbohydrates per day. This level is common in diets that include a higher proportion of carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, providing ample energy, especially for athletes and individuals with high physical activity levels.

Conclusion

Carbohydrates are essential nutrients that provide the body's primary energy source. Found in foods like grains, fruits, and vegetables and break down into glucose, fueling various processes and functions in the human body. On the Roczen programme, your prescribed food list, alongside the nutrition guidelines will guide you on the best types of carbohydrates to include in your diet, specifying the appropriate volumes and frequency to optimise your health and support your weight management goals.