Fruit is a plant-based, whole food that just about anyone can embrace. From children to picky eaters, the sweetness of fruit holds a special place in our hearts. This is for good reason! Before the invention of global commerce and modern food science, fruit and honey when in season were once our only readily available source of concentrated sweetness.

Grains: without them civilization as we know it may have never fully developed. The story of human history is tightly entwined with that of grains. From the gathering, processing, and storing of small grass seeds to the plump, full cereals of today, we and grains have grown and evolved together.

This week, we will cover added sugars and the harms they cause to our personal and societal health. The history of sugar is a tragic one that is often overlooked. By the end of this article, you will strongly wonder why U.S. tax dollars are used to subsidize this harmful crop at the expense of our health, economy, and public safety.

In this week’s article, we will cover the following topics:

What are carbohydrates in general, and what are the different kinds of carbohydrates?

Why do we need carbohydrates?

How many carbs do we need?

What happens if we eat too many or too few?

What are healthy food sources of carbohydrates?

Gluten - what about gluten?