Want to find out more about carbohydrates and fiber? Then you're guaranteed to find what you're looking for here! Carbohydrates are a macronutrient and are primarily known as fuel for muscles and the brain. But of course that's not all!
I have summarized the most important basics in this article. We start with a brief profile of carbohydrates. Then we continue with basic information, the daily requirement, the physiological importance of carbohydrates, as well as the best and healthiest sources of carbohydrates and what vegans and vegetarians should look out for in their diet.
Here is in advance a short Table of contents for you:
- Profile
- Basics
- Daily requirement
- Meaning
- Overdose
- Mangel
- Carbohydrate sources
- Vegan
- Food supplement
- Frequently asked questions
Notice: This article is not a substitute for medical advice, but merely provides general information about carbohydrates. Please consult your doctor if you feel unwell or want to prevent health problems with medical care.
Carbohydrates profile at a glance
Assignment: Macronutrients
Synonyms: Saccharides, colloquially also carbs
Important for:Energy supplier, building material for RNA, DNA, connective tissue substance or cell membrane
Daily requirement: approx. 45-60 % of calorie intake1,2
Overdose: not defined1,2
Deficiency symptoms: none, the body compensates through gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis
Food: Wholemeal products, root vegetables, pseudo-cereals, pulses, fruit
Food supplement: not necessary
Carbohydrate basics
Carbohydrates consist of carbon, oxygen and water and are the Primary energy source for our body. They can also work on Proteins or Lipids be bound, which is why they then have the designations Glycoproteins or Glycolipids receive
Carbohydrates occur as monosaccharides, disacharides, oligosaccharides or polysaccharides. Monosaccharides have only a single molecule, while Disaccharides from two and Oligosaccharides consist of three to ten individual molecules. Also known as polysaccharides Polysaccharides consist of more than ten individual molecules. The fewer individual molecules a carbohydrate contains, the faster and easier it can be digested and provide the body with energy. Dietary fiber are classified as oligo- and polysaccharides and are therefore also carbohydrates.
Notice: Depending on whether you need energy in the short or long term, either easily digestible monosaccharides or the more difficult-to-digest oligo- and polysaccharides can be useful.
High carb or low carb?
The recommendations regarding carbohydrate intake are far less precise than those for micronutrients, such as Vitamin E, Iodine or Magnesium. An individual's optimum daily requirement depends to a large extent on how much energy they need. This is why the leading nutrition societies give their recommended intake as a percentage of the calorie intake an.
The data provided by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) The recommended range of carbohydrate intake is between 45 and 60 percent of calorie intake. A minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day is also specified.2 Here a Exampleto make carbohydrate intake a little more specific: With an average calorie requirement of 2,000 calories, this means that about 220-290 grams of carbohydrates should be eaten per day.
The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends that more than 50 percent of calories should be covered by carbohydrates. Furthermore, the DGE has set the minimum intake of Dietary fiber defined. This is at least 30 grams per day.1
What do carbohydrates do in the body?
Carbohydrates are especially our Primary energy sourceThis means that when they are available, the body uses them to produce energy. With 4.1 calories per gram, they are efficient energy suppliers. If the body does not need energy, the energy is converted into fat and stored.3
Furthermore, saccharides are an essential Building material for various substances in the body such as RNA, DNA, amino acids, connective tissue substance or cell membranes. They also serve to Cell recognition.
The most important Carbs functions:
- Primary energy source
- Building material for RNA; DNA, bindingtissue substance or cell membrane
- Cell recognition
How many carbs are too many?
In general there are no fixed limit for the intake of carbohydrates. However, a sensible intake limit is ultimately determined by the Energy demand. If you regularly eat more carbohydrates than you need, you not only store fat, but also become more susceptible to nutrition-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure. However, it also depends on whether good or bad sources of carbohydrates are eaten. An increased intake of fiber, for example, can reduce the risk of obesity and high blood pressure in adults.4
There is no general answer as to how much is too much in an individual case. Most people feel relatively intuitively whether they are eating too much or too little. For all those who want to know exactly, I recommend the individual Calculate calorie requirements and use a tracking app to measure and weigh how much they should eat for a week. If you try this for a week, you will have a relatively accurate feeling for the quantities you want to eat after the week.
Can there be a shortage?
How well are we Germans supplied with carbohydrates? As the DGE differentiates between the intake of carbohydrates in general and dietary fiber, this was also done in the National Nutrition Study II. On average, around 73 percent of men and 56 percent of women have the specified 50 % Carbohydrate content on the energy supply Not reached.5 Personally, I wouldn't see this as a problem at all as long as the calorie intake is within a reasonable range.
At the Fiber intake it's a different story. This is because fiber reduces the risk of colon, rectal and stomach cancer, as well as obesity and the resulting metabolic diseases. Fiber also helps with constipation as it stimulates intestinal activity. However, the recommended amount of 30 grams per day is not consumed by 75 percent of men and 66 percent of women. Not reached.5
The body can cleverly compensate for a lack of carbohydrates. If too few carbohydrates are consumed, the body draws energy from the breakdown of glucose from the liver and muscles, as well as from gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis.
Good carbs, bad carbs?
When selecting carbohydrate sources, it is less important what they contain than whether they are healthy overall. The following principle should apply: Unprocessed instead of processed carbohydrates. If you stick to this principle, you will increase the value of your carbohydrate supply and nutrition in general.
Bad carbohydrates mainly contain sugar and white flour. These include sugary drinks, ice cream, canned fruit, sweets, white rice, sweetened breakfast cereals, most baked goods and cakes.
Good carbohydrates are Fruit, Pulses, root vegetables, whole grains and pseudocereals. Above all, you should decide according to your taste and try to include as many food groups as possible in your diet. wholesome diet to integrate. With these good carbohydrate sources you can cover half of your calories with a clear conscience.6
Tip: The switch is particularly helpful when it comes to drinks. Once you have weaned yourself off the taste of sugar and got used to water and natural teas, you will save yourself a lot of unnecessary calories, flavor enhancers and unnecessary sugar.
What about carbs for vegans?
The vegan diet can provide sufficient carbohydrates. For this reason, the DGE consequently not as potentially Critical nutrient mentioned.7 In fact, vegans, unlike mixed dieters and vegetarians, easily exceed the recommended minimum fiber intake of 30 g per day. In fact, they consume up to 58 g of health-promoting fiber per day.8
Are there reasons to supplement carbohydrates?
Adding carbohydrates as a dietary supplement is not recommended for health reasons. not necessary. Only for bodybuilders can it make sense to use so-called weight gainers to cover the greatly increased calorie requirement.
Carb-FAQ: The most frequently asked questions
Where are the most carbohydrates?
Whole grain products and pseudocereals are particularly high in carbohydrates.
Which carbohydrates are particularly good for weight loss?
Carbohydrate sources with a high fiber content are particularly suitable for losing weight. These include pulses and root vegetables, for example.
What are good and what are bad carbohydrates?
Good carbohydrates are whole foods such as fruit, pulses, wholegrain products or root vegetables. Bad carbohydrates are all processed foods that contain sugar or white flour.
What do people need carbohydrates for?
The main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy. They are also used as a building material for various substances in the body.
What can I eat in the evening if I want to lose weight?
It can actually make sense to reduce your carbohydrate intake in the evening and eat more proteins, fats and low-calorie foods such as salad.
Conscious nutrition with healthy carbohydrates
Just like the Fat it is the quality of the food that matters most - and less the quantity. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include wholegrain products, pseudo-cereals, pulses, fruit and root vegetables. You should consciously include these in your diet and reduce unhealthy carbs, such as sugary drinks, ice cream or baked goods containing white flour.
For your holistic healththere's a lot more you can do. Much of it is even free, such as cold to showers, Spend more time in the fresh air and also to meditate.
Good luck with the implementation. If you have any questions, criticism or comments, please feel free to use the comment function!
All the best,
P.S.: Our Nutrient database is now full to bursting. There you will find further articles, for example on Vitamin A, Calcium or Biotin. And if you are interested in holistic health, then take a look at the article "Tips for more energy in everyday life". Have fun!
References:
1 German Nutrition Society: Carbohydrates, dietary fiber, https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/referenzwerte/kohlenhydrate-ballaststoffe/?L=0. [09.11.2021]
2 European Food Safety Authority: Scientific Opinion on Dietary reference values for carbohydrates and fiber, https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1462 [05.11.2021].
3 Zentrum der Gesundheit: Carbohydrates: healthy, but also harmful, https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/ernaehrung/naehrstoffe/kohlenhydrate-uebersicht/kohlenhydrate [08.11.2021]
4 German Nutrition Society: Guideline Carbohydrates compact. Carbohydrate intake and prevention of selected diet-related diseases, https://www.dge-medienservice.de/media/productattach/d/g/dge_leitlinie_kh_kompakt_.pdf, [08.11.2021]
5 Max Rubner Institute. J. Möhring, H. F. Erbersdobler (2008). Nationale Verzehrs Studie II - Ergebnisbericht Teil 2. In: Lebensmittel-Warenkunde Für Einsteiger, (Springer), pp. 121-146. Online: https://www.mri.bund.de/de/institute/ernaehrungsverhalten/forschungsprojekte/nvsii/erg-verzehr-naehrstoffe, [08.11.2021]
6 Center of Health: So much fat and carbs are healthy, https://www.zentrum-der-gesundheit.de/news/ernaehrung-news/allgemein-ernaehrung/fett-und-kohlenhydrate-menge-190905109 [08.11.2021]
7 Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V.: Supplement to the position of the German Nutrition Society regarding population groups with special nutritional needs, https://www.dge.de/wissenschaft/weitere-publikationen/dge-position/vegane-ernaehrung/?L=0. [05.11.2021].
8 Waldmann, A., Koschizke, J. W., Leitzmann, C., and Hahn, A. (2005): Dietary intakes and blood concentrations of antioxidant vitamins in German vegans. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 75, 28-36. [05.11.2021]
