Carbohydrates: How carbs fit into a healthy diet

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Content Understanding carbohydrates Types of carbohydrates More carbohydrate terms: Net carbs and glycemic index How many carbohydrates do you need? Carbohydrates and your health Choose your carbohydrates wisely

There are three main types of carbohydrates:

Sugar. Sugar is the simplest form of carbohydrate and occurs naturally in some foods, including fruits, vegetables, milk and milk products. Types of sugar include fruit sugar (fructose), table sugar (sucrose) and milk sugar (lactose).
Starch. Starch is a complex carbohydrate, meaning it is made of many sugar units bonded together. Starch occurs naturally in vegetables, grains, and cooked dry beans and peas.
Fiber. Fiber also is a complex carbohydrate. It occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and cooked dry beans and peas.