C arbohydrates are sugars and starches.  There are two kinds of carbohydrates:  simple and complex.  Simple carbohydrates, such as a piece of candy, give only a short burst of energy.  Complex carbohydrates, such as a piece of whole wheat toast, take longer to digest and give us energy for a longer time. S ugars are usually simple carbohydrates.  While they taste good, they tend to be “empty” calories.  This means they give the body a little energy, but that’s all.  Empty calories provide no vitamins, no minerals, and no fiber. S tarches can be simple or complex carbohydrates.  For example, a piece of bread made with white flour is a simple carbohydrate, but a piece of bread made with whole wheat flour is a complex carbohydrate. S ome people say that if you want to lose weight, you shouldn’t eat starches like bread or potatoes.  These foods are not fattening by themselves.  For example, a baked potato is a healthy choice unless you add heaps of butter, sour cream, cheese and bacon!  A sandwich with two pieces of whole wheat bread is a good choice unless you add layers of butter and mayonnaise!    A ll fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates.  When eaten fresh or lightly cooked, fruits and vegetables also provide lots of vitamins, minerals and fiber.  Lots of nutrients in each bite! Essential Nutrient #1:  Carbohydrates F oods that contain fat include butter, lard, cream, oil, marga- rine, mayonnaise, nuts, olives, meats, cheese and eggs.  And, healthy foods like fish, chicken and vegetables can become high fat foods if they are cooked with a lot of fat.    S ome fats contain cholesterol.  A little bit of cholesterol is needed by our bodies, but many people have too much cholesterol in their blood, causing a build up in the arteries.  So, you might hear people talk about “good” fats and “bad” fats.   The “good” fats, like vegetable oil, are low in cho- lesterol.  The “bad” fats, like lard, are high in cho- lesterol.    Plants and fish are the best sources of good fat.   F ats are a condensed source of energy.  A tea- spoon of any kind of fat provides at least twice the calories of a teaspoon of sugar.  Fats are di- gested more slowly than carbohydrates, so after a meal, your body will use the energy from the car- bohydrates first.  The fat calories may not get used up right away, so your body saves them for later.    F ats provide us with this extra supply of en- ergy—stored away until we need it.  The first place that fat gets stored is in the liver.  But our livers can only hold so much fat.  Once the liver is full, fat gets stored throughout the rest of the body, especially under the skin.   This body fat is what many people try to lose during a diet. Essential Nutrient #2:  Fat Page 3