carbohydrates

A broad category of sugars, starches and fibres that the body eventually converts to glucose, the body’s primary source of energy. There are two classes of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are the sugars, which include glucose and fructose from fruits and vegetables, sucrose from beet or cane sugar, and lactose from milk. Simple carbohydrates are absorbed by the body very quickly. Complex carbohydrates include starches and fibre, and are most commonly found in whole grains and legumes.