Macronutrients in our diet:
Macronutrients are the big ones, the large food we can see go into our mouths. Micronutrients, which we will talk about later in this series, are the vitamins and minerals contained in the food we eat.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are starches and sugars obtained from plants.
Sugars like raw sugar, and that found in candy, cake and cookies are known as simple carbohydrates, and starches like potatoes, pasta, rice, and whole grains are known as complex carbohydrates.
All carbohydrates are broken down in the intestine and converted in the liver to glucose, a sugar that is carried through the bloodstream to cells where it is used for energy.
Some glucose is converted into glycogen, which is stored in limited amounts in the liver and muscles to meet future energy needs.
Carbohydrates are converted into fat when your calorie intake exceeds your immediate needs and your body’s capacity to store glycogen.
Put more simply, whatever calories you consume but don’t burn, get stored on your body as fat.
It takes only 2,000 surplus calories to gain a pound, but 3,500 to lose one.
Many low carb diets try to stop you from piling on the pounds through the comfort eating which causes us to be drawn towards carbs.
