carbohydrates or carbs as they are more commonly knows are an essential part of a balanced diet and regular consumption of the same is highly encouraged along with protein and fats carbs form the three major macronutrients essential for basic nutrition the dietary carbohydrates are segmented into three categories sugars starches and fibres each with their own benefits to offer the main benefit that this food group offers is building energy reserves in the body by breaking down into glucose fibres are an exception as they do not transform into energy but help in feeding the friendly bacteria in the digestive systemnot all carbohydrates are created equal they are classified into good and bad carbs this is not an accurate classification of the food group and should be classified as unprocessed and refined respectively whole carbs that contain a higher fibre level are categorised in the unprocessed carbs category while carbs that have been processed and have been stripped of their natural fibre are categorised in the refined category unprocessed carbohydrates are found in various naturally occurring foods like vegetables legumes whole fruits potatoes and whole grains they contain complex sugars which take longer to break down into glucose but act as a more stable and consistent source of energy with the longer time taken to breakdown the sugars in this type of carb get released into the bloodstream at a more consistent rate consumption of these carbs in moderation has been linked to a multitude of benefits including improved metabolic health and lower risk of disease they are also a rich source of phytochemicals which are naturally occurring antioxidants and are antiinflammatory in nature refined carbohydrates on the other hand have higher sugar levels and significantly lower levels of nutrients and fibre than their unprocessed counterpart these carbs get processed within the body at a much faster rate releasing the high amount of sugar into the bloodstream at one go this causes major spikes in the blood sugar levels that lead to a subsequent crash triggering hunger and craving for more highcarb foods these carbs are also associated with a host of conditions which include obesity type2 diabetes and more many food products containing refined carbs also incorporate added sugars these are quite harmful for the health and are linked to all sorts of chronic diseaseswhile many people speak of a carbohydratefree diet they are not bad for you they are an essential part of a healthy and balanced diet giving the body the fuel and energy it needs it is important to take stock of the type of carb being consumed and always remember moderation is keyinputs by fitness nutrition expert rohit shelatkar