What are Carbohydrates?

[Goldie]

Hi everyone,

I want to improve my diet for sports. Can someone please explain what Carbs are? Correct me if I'm wrong but I heard that it's fuel for the body and the remaining fuel you don't use turns into fat. Also if it's fuel for the body and you do your workouts and use that fuel. Where do you get fuel to go about with your daily activities. Thanks

Goldie

[jimmybro1]

Hi everyone,

I want to improve my diet for sports. Can someone please explain what Carbs are? Correct me if I'm wrong but I heard that it's fuel for the body and the remaining fuel you don't use turns into fat. Also if it's fuel for the body and you do your workouts and use that fuel. Where do you get fuel to go about with your daily activities. Thanks

Goldie

This is why nutrition should be taught at school.... 

You have heard right carbohydrates are used for fuel for the muscles, brain, and other normal fuctions of the body. If you don't not use this energy it will be stored as fat and vice versa. 

Obviously you eat enough carbohydrates, protein and fats to achieve all your daily tasks.... not only can carbohydrates be used as a source of energy but fats and protein can also... the pathway is a little more complex though. 

Hopefully this answers your question. Took a few times through to try understand that paragraph. 

[Gym rat]

If Nutrition was teached in schools it would help teach school kids to make healthy choices when they are out instead of eating junk all the time.Which would help lower the risk health problems later on in life

[Realtalk]

It is taught in the curriculum. There are NCEA credits in the subject of physical education relating to nutrition. Perhaps year 11,12 and 13 is too late? though in saying that most kids get what they are given before that age so choice is somewhat nonexistent.