9781422280508

Chapter 1

What Are Carbs and Starches? W ords to U nderstand glucose: a simple sugar and important energy source in living organisms. glycogen: a substance deposited in the body’s tissue as a store for carbohydrates. lipids: organic compounds such as fats and vitamins that dissolve in fats. macronutrient: a substance that living organisms need to survive. photosynthesis: the process by which plants turn radiant energy from the sun into food. A t 55 years old, Mark Stephens of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has more energy than most middle-aged men. Although his hair isn’t jet black anymore (it’s mostly gray), and his golf swing isn’t what it once was (he tends to pull the ball to the right), Stephens has run 14 marathons in 12 years. He’s done very well in some races and not so well in others, but he completed them all, which is impressive on its own. Stephens learned long ago that if he wanted to do well in the grueling 26.2- mile race, he’d have to eat a plate of carbohydrates before the starting gun sounded. Runners call it “carb-loading” (or “carbo-loading”), and it provides their bodies

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