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Carbohydrates (Carbs)
 Besides being the main and most important source of energy for the body, carbohydrates also play an important role in the structure and function of the body organs and nerve cells and come in two major forms;
Complex Carbs - Complex carbohydrates take some time to get digested by the body and release glucose at a slower rate, resulting in a steady level of blood glucose. (starch and cellulose)
Simple Carbs - Simple carbohydrates get digested easily by the body, giving a quick rise to the glucose levels. In turn, the body might react by producing insulin to counteract excess sugar levels and this often results in headaches and hunger. (sugars occurring in milk, fruits, honey etc)
It has been recommended that all people over 2 years of age should be consuming a diet that is contains at least 55% of energy from carbohydrates. In order to figure how many carbohydrates you should be consuming, keep in mind that there are 4 calories in 1 gram of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are burned faster than proteins and fats and are found in grains and cereals, legumes, fruit, milk, bread, potatoes, meat and fish.
When excessive amounts of carbohydrates get consumed, they are partly stored in the liver and muscle cells (glycogen) as energy material and partly transformed into fats to be used for energy for ulterior needs.
Some simple carbohydrates (eg: honey) do nothing much except increase the calorie intake, so it would be wiser to consume carbohydrates that provide vitamins and nutrients besides raw calories.
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