Difference Between Carbohydrates and Sugars
It is said that maintaining a healthy and balanced diet is essential to preserve people’s physical, mental and emotional health. Thus, a balanced diet is one that contains a number of foods in adequate amounts, both macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, as well as micronutrients, that is, vitamins and minerals to meet the physiological requirements of each individual.
In addition, with a balanced diet, diseases of metabolic origin such as diabetes, overweight and obesity, as well as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases can be prevented. Because the excess and lack of food are harmful to health, the individual should consume at least the following portions of each type of food: Carbohydrates (55% to 69%), proteins (12% to 15%) and lipids (25% to 30%).
In this aspect, as can be seen, carbohydrates are the main nutrients of our body, since they provide energy to the body, distinguishing three types of carbohydrates: sugars, starches and fibers.
Therefore, it is in our interest to show in this article what is known as carbohydrates and sugars, in order to establish some differences that exist between them.
📌Carbohydrates
Once these are used by the body, carbohydrates are converted into simple sugars that are subsequently absorbed by the large intestine. Finally, carbohydrates are found in bread, milk, cookies, soft drinks, pasta, white flour, rice, fructose, and some legumes.
📌Sugars
It is worth noting that this food is considered the drug of the 21st century, due to the great dependence that these have generated in the majority of consumers. However, it must be said that excessive consumption can trigger some diseases in people such as obesity, migraines, osteoporosis, asthma, allergies, dental deterioration, among others.
📌 Important differences between carbohydrates and sugars
- Carbohydrates are not soluble in water while sugars are.
- Carbohydrates must be broken down into simple molecules in order to be digested, while sugars are easily digested by the body.
- Carbohydrates provide energy while sugars provide calories to the body.
- Carbohydrates are not sweet while sugars are.