Check out the full List of carbohydrate foods in Ghana here😅😅
Carbohydrates is the major source of energy in most human diets.
More than 75% of energy is derived from carbohydrates,and according to our bio molecular knowledge it’s said to be the building blocks of life.Carbohydrates contains hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio 2:1.
There carbohydrates we call Available and Unavailable carbohydrates,what do we mean by these;
Available carbohydrates:These are polysaccharides that are useful to man.They include Sugar,Starch, Dextrans and glycogen.
Unavailable carbohydrates:These are carbohydrates that the human body cannot convert to glucose or other monosaccharides and hence cannot be used in energy metabolism.
They include Pectins,Cellulose,Hemicellulose and Lignin.
Functions of Carbohydrates
1. It contains the major source of energy in man’s diet
2. It helps in the regulation of blood glucose
3. It spares the use of protein for energy
4. It breaks down fatty acids and prevents ketosis
5. It serves as flavor and sweetener
6. It helps build macromolecules
Sources of Carbohydrates in Ghana
• Grains:Bread,Rice,Cereal and Cracker
• Legumes: Beans and other plant based protein
• Starchy vegetables: Potatoes and Corn
• Sugary Sweet: Soda,Candy,Cookies and other Desserts
• Diary: Milk,Yoghurt and Ice cream
• Fruits: Whole fruit and Fruit juice.
*Other foods like waakye, kenkey, banku, garri, yam etc are high in carbohydrates.
Carbohydrate-containing foods form a key part of a healthy diet. Many are high in fibre, which helps to keep us feeling fuller for longer and keeps our bowels regular. They also provide key vitamins and minerals to support good health. Carbohydrates are our body’s preferred energy source – they break down into glucose during digestion and are used by vital organs such as our brain and muscles.
Carbohydrates are found in a variety of foods such as breads, breakfast cereal, rice, oats pasta, quinoa, as well as fruit, starchy vegetables, corn, beans, lentils, yoghurt and milk.
However, it is important to note that not all carbohydrate foods are equal. Carbohydrates are also present in sugary ultra processed foods such as soft drinks, desserts and sweet biscuits, which are energy dense and nutrient poor. Eating too much of these foods leads to weight gain.
The other thing to pay attention to is how quickly or slowly the food gets broken down by the body. Those that digest slowly keep us feeling fuller for longer and it provides us longer lasting energy, and can help with weight management – These are called low glycaemic index (GI) foods.
:
✅ Whole grain breads
✅ Wholemeal pasta
✅ Rolled oats
✅ Quinoa
✅ Basmati rice
✅ Lentils and legumes
✅ Sweet potato
✅ Whole fruits
✅ Yoghurt and milk
Sources:
Becckamy1
www.nimedhealth.com.ng
