Carbohydrate

A carbohydrate is an organic compound with general formula C''m''(H2O)''n'', that is, consisting only of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the last two in the 2:1 atom ratio. Carbohydrates can be viewed as hydrates of carbon, hence their name.

What are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are one of the most important food groups in the diet. They provide essential elements that the body needs for instant energy production and various vital functions.

Carbohydrate Structure

Carbohydrate Monosaccharides

Carbohydrate Metabolism

Foods High in Carbohydrates

Latest Carbohydrate News and Research

Meal and sleep timing play key roles in diabetes prevention

High-resolution digital tracking reveals how daily habits, meal timing, sleep, and physical activity shape metabolic risk for type 2 diabetes. Meal timing, sleep patterns, and activity windows each play distinct roles in insulin resistance and glucose control.

12 Jun 2025

What researchers found when they compared food labels in 17 countries

New research uncovers how hyper-palatable foods saturate the US food supply and highlights urgent public health challenges posed by engineered foods worldwide.

9 Jun 2025

Healthy diet improves metabolism even without weight loss

Nearly one-third of people who adopted and adhered to a healthy diet did not lose any weight, but still reaped many health benefits, according to a new study led by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Ben Gurion University, Israel.

6 Jun 2025

Maternal exposure to metals rewires infants’ gut and resistance genes

Prenatal exposure to trace elements like selenium, copper, and arsenic can significantly alter the infant gut microbiome, metabolism, and antibiotic resistance gene patterns. These changes appear as early as three months and evolve during the first year of life.

5 Jun 2025

Back-to-basics, 'not fad' diets beat heart disease and diabetes

This review examines dietary interventions that can improve cardiometabolic health, highlighting the role of whole foods in reducing heart disease and diabetes.

4 Jun 2025

How soy and gut microbes alter cancer treatment results

Researchers have discovered that plant-derived phytochemicals and their gut microbiome metabolites control the effectiveness of PI3K inhibitors in cancer therapy. The study reveals that dietary components, especially soy compounds processed by gut bacteria, can alter drug metabolism and impact treatment outcomes.

2 Jun 2025

Expert review reveals how to fuel triathletes for optimal results

This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 35 studies to guide optimal nutrition, supplementation, and recovery for triathletes. The findings highlight the critical importance of glycogen balance, hydration, targeted supplementation, and ongoing education—especially for female athletes at risk of energy deficiency.

2 Jun 2025

Healthy food choices found to be key in reducing heart disease risk

A new study that followed almost 200,000 people for several decades has found that when it comes to heart health, the quality of food consumed matters as much as following a low-carbohydrate or low-fat diet.

1 Jun 2025

Choosing better carbs in low-carb diets boosts health outcomes

A long-term study of the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort found that low-carbohydrate diets emphasizing high-quality carbs, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, were linked to reduced inflammation and oxidative stress. Diets low in carbohydrate quality offered no such benefits.

29 May 2025

Which diet lowers blood pressure more: keto or Mediterranean?

A pilot study comparing a low-calorie, high-protein ketogenic diet and a Mediterranean diet in overweight and obese adults with elevated blood pressure found that both diets led to significant weight loss, improved body composition, and reduced blood pressure. Both dietary approaches were safe and well-tolerated, but the Mediterranean diet group showed a greater proportion of participants with healthy nocturnal blood pressure dipping.

26 May 2025

Gut bacteria and diet found to affect cancer treatment outcomes

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has uncovered a surprising link between diet, intestinal microbes and the efficacy of cancer therapy.

22 May 2025

Blood and urine tests reveal how much ultra-processed food you really eat, study finds

Researchers developed and validated blood and urine metabolite scores that objectively measure ultra-processed food (UPF) intake in adults. These biomarker profiles accurately distinguished between high- and low-UPF diets and may transform nutrition research and public health monitoring.

21 May 2025

Zebrafish study reveals hidden dangers of environmental toxins from tires

Emerging contaminants from rubber tires N-(1,3-Dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine (6PPD) and its oxidation product 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ)-are raising new red flags for aquatic ecosystems.

19 May 2025

Preference for sweetness drives snack choices and diet quality, study reveals

Researchers explore how sweetness preference and eating behaviors interact with diet quality and added sugar intake.

18 May 2025

Midlife carbohydrate quality linked to healthier aging in women

Intakes of dietary fiber, high-quality and total carbohydrates in midlife were favorably linked to healthy aging and other positive health outcomes in older women, according to a new study by researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

16 May 2025

Hyaluronidase-1 emerges as a key regulator of postmeal blood sugar

A recent study published in Life Metabolism has uncovered a surprising new player in the body's ability to regulate blood sugar after eating.

15 May 2025

Animal research reveals metabolic differences between tirzepatide and semaglutide

New animal research being presented at this year's European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Malaga, Spain (11-14 May), reveals distinct metabolic adjustments to tirzepatide and semaglutide treatment, with tirzepatide temporarily increasing energy expenditure and semaglutide initially reducing energy expenditure.

14 May 2025

Cultural comfort: How pasta became Italy’s edible happiness ritual

A multi-method study of over 1,500 Italians found that pasta consumption is consistently associated with increased happiness, especially when eaten socially. Psychological traits like mindfulness and lower stress enhanced these positive emotional effects.

11 May 2025

How nutritious is dried Gapal? Study reveals its strengths and one hidden weakness

Researchers analyzed the nutritional composition of dried Gapal, a traditional fermented milk-cereal food from Burkina Faso, revealing its high carbohydrate and mineral content. Despite its nutritional potential, high phytic acid levels may limit mineral bioavailability, especially for zinc.

7 May 2025

Want to eat slower? Pick meals that need chopsticks, not hands

A new study from Japan reveals that eating meals like bento boxes—rather than pizza—can slow down eating and boost chewing, regardless of whether vegetables come first or last. It's not the order, but the kind of food, that matters.

5 May 2025