Why eat carbohydrate?
Executive summary
* This note summarises what carbohydrates are, from fructose to fibre.
* It briefly looks at the role carbohydrates have played historically – feeding and growing the population and freeing people up to do other activities.
* It explores why official dietary guidelines specify carbohydrate intake of 55% or higher, as a proportion of total calories.
* It presents the main public health arguments for eating carbohydrates and the counter-arguments that are immediately obvious.
* It presents arguments for reducing carbohydrate intake.
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