The main source of energy, that the body needs in order to carry out all the daily

activities, are the carbohydrates. We get the carbohydrates from the food we eat. When they
are in our body they are being broken down and then used as energy. If there are more
carbohydrates than it is required for energy, our body has ability to store them as reserves into
the liver and our muscles as glycogen. All that that the liver and muscles cells cannot store
anymore as a glycogen is turned into fat. The stored reserves of carbohydrates are used every
time our body needs energy-at first the glycogen is converted into energy and after that, when
the body needs prolonged burst of energy it converts fat to energy, too.
Carbohydrates are very important part of the diets for proper functioning of our body.
They are important for the correct working of the brain, heart and nervous, digestive and
immune systems.
According to the chemical structure of the food and how quickly the sugar is digested
and absorbed, carbohydrates are classified as:
- simple , which have one (single) or two (double) sugars, and
-complex, which have three or more sugars.

Example of simple sugars are: fructose (found in fruit) and galactose (found in milk products).
Double sugars are: lactose (found in dairy), maltose (found in vegetables and beer), sucrose
(table sugar). Honey is also double sugar.

Complex carbohydrates include starchy foods like: legumes, starchy vegetables, whole-
grain bread and cereals.

Simple carbohydrates from the fruit, vegetables, milk and milk products contain vitamins
and minerals, but the simple carbohydrates found in the processed and refined sugars like
candies, carbonated beverages and table sugar don’t provide vitamins and minerals. They only
provide calories and can lead to weight gain. That’s why it is best and healthiest to get
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in natural form, for example from fruit and
vegetables.