There are three types of carbohydrates that are important to us:

Polysaccharides: These are the most complex of the carbohydrates and they are made up from many carbohydrate units. The most common polysaccharide in our diet would be in the form of starch which is found in grains such as rice, wheat, corn. Other foods such as potatoes are another good source of complex carbohydrate.

The other carbohydrates are monosaccharides and disaccharides.

Disaccharides: These are double sugar: sucrose, lactose, and maltose: sucrose, or table sugar is the most widely consumed disaccharide. The average consumption of sugar in Australia is around 60kg per person per year. In these quantities sugar is a health problem, leading to heart disease and other health problems.

Monosaccharides: There are three types of monosaccharides: glucose, fructose, and galactose. Glucose is the most important monosaccharide. All other carbohydrates are either obtained from it or changed into it. The body stores glucose by changing it into glycogen which is stored in the muscles and liver. This can be easily changed back to glucose when the body requires it for quick energy.

The main function of carbohydrates is to supply the body with energy and for the formation of cellular constituents.

A lack of carbohydrate in the diet (as with some of the liquid quick weight-loss diets) can lead to the production of ketones in the body. This increase in ketones decreases the alkalinity and increases the acidity of the blood resulting in a condition known as Ketosis and metabolic acidosis. It is important to balance the diet as metabolic acidosis can be very serious.

Your carbohydrate intake should be around 60 per cent of your food intake in the form of complex carbohydrates. Eating too many monosaccharides such as table sugar is not the way to get your sugar requirement. Although it will give quick energy (because of the increased blood sugar level) these levels soon drop and leave you feeling run down and craving for more sugar. Eat fruit instead.

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