Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What are the health benefits of carbohydrates?

    Related Topic
    Nutrition
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • Erin Miller

    Dietitian, Nutritionist

    Accredited Dietitian and Nutritionist Erin Miller is passionate about health and wellbeing. The Nutrition Network is her home and she opens her doors to assist … View Profile

    Carbohydrates (sugars and starches) are found mainly in plant foods such as cereal grains and products manufactured from them such as pasta, breakfast cereal or bread, in vegetables and fruit and in legumes such as beans and lentils. They are powerful fuel foods that keep us going. When we eat carbohydrates, the sugars and starches are broken down in the stomach and small intestine to glucose, which is absorbed and the distributed to the body to provide energy and your muscles and the preferred fuel for the brain. A lack of dietary carbohydrate leads to depletion of the body's glucose stores and eventually to poor physical and mental endurance. Also, carbohydrates are often a good source of dietary fibre- to keep your digestive system healthy and regular as well as providing vital vitamins and minerals.

    Despite the myths- carbohydrates are not intrinsically fattening- it's the total amount of food eaten that counts. Eating wholegrain carbohydrates such as wholegrain breads & cereals can help with your weight managment and reduce your risks of developing heart disease, cancers and type 2 diabets. 

    Thanks

    Erin

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
    Reply to this post

    You must be a Health Professional to reply to this post. to your account or now (it's free).

answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices