hydrocarbonates, Starches, complex carbohydrates, glucose, energy, simple sugars, sugar, simple carbohydrates, sweet tasting, sucrose, fructose, glucose, fibres, molecules, nutrition, nutrients

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the three main families of nutrients, together with proteins and lipids.
Above all they are a major energy fuel and are needed for the correct functioning of cells, particularly in muscles, brain, heart and red blood cells.

The term “total carbohydrates” groups together starches and simple sugars.
>Foods with hig level of total carbohydrates (pdf - only in French)

Starches

Starches are part of the carbohydrate family. They are complex carbohydrates, in other words they are formed from a long chain of glucose units.
Starches play a reservoir role in plants. In human beings they are digested more or less quickly to provide energy in the form of glucose.
>Foods with high level of starches (pdf - only in French)

Foods rich in simple sugars

Simple sugars belong to the carbohydrate family. Their specific feature is that they are simple carbohydrates, in other words small, sweet tasting molecules. Simple sugars such as sucrose (our commercial "sugar”), fructose (a typical fruit sugar) or glucose (present in fruits and also used as an ingredient) are consumed every day. They provide very rapidly available energy.
>Foods with high level of simple sugars (pdf - only in French)

Foods rich in fibres

Fibres belong to the carbohydrate family, in which they occupy a specific place. They are only partially digested by the natural flora residing in our gastro-intestinal tract. Because of this they provide us with little energy, unlike the other carbohydrates.
Plant cell walls are rich in fibres and for this reason fruits, vegetables and cereals form the major contribution to our fibre intakes.
>Foods with high level of fibres (pdf - only in French)