“I am not eating any carbs anymore because I am putting on weight”, said mum to her aunt Nina.

“Anyone who cuts down on carbs will lose weight, that is for sure,” exclaimed aunt Nina.

Anya overheard the conversation between her mum and aunt Nina. However, Anya could not figure out what exactly carbs was.

“Maybe it is some special kind of chocolate,” she wondered.

Anya thought of telling this to her friend Zoey. Zoey had earlier told Anya that she also has been watching her weight. Zoey’s mum had told that she was little over the weight that was age appropriate for her and therefore it was smart to check it now. So, off she went to Zoey and told her all about her mum’s conversation.

Zoey, much older than Anya laughed and said that carbs were not chocolate of some kind but human’s main source of energy. And that carbs, was actually a short name for carbohydrates that are important nutrient that the body needs for the functioning.

“Actually, carbohydrates are really sugar. Sugar that our body needs to work,” Zoey explained to Anya in simple words.

“Now, some carbohydrates are easy sugars. As soon as you eat them they give you instant energy, and you feel better. For example, a lollipop or a chocolate bar. If you are feeling extremely hungry and you gobble a lollipop, you will feel better right away. But not only it makes you feel hungry soon again, it gets stored in the body as fat”, Zoey continued feeling really happy with herself.

” Wow! So why does my mum never allow me to eat lollipop or sour bombs and tells me to eat bread or oatmeal? If I eat them, I will feel hungry again and again which is good, right? I am going to tell her that she should allow me to eat lots of simple carbohydrates,” Anya started dreaming about the yummy lollipops and sour bombs.

“Here is the thing Anya. While simple carbohydrates are okay, it is the complex carbohydrates in food like bread, whole wheat pasta and oatmeal that give us energy for a longer time. Complex carbohydrates have lots of fiber, so they keep releasing energy in our body long after we have eaten them,” Zoey said wisely.

“Oh! Now I get it,” Anya replied her voice ringing of disappointment.

“I think my mum was talking about cutting the simple carbohydrates in her food,” Anya pondered.

“Yep,” nodded Zoey.

“But how come you became so smart?” Anya teased Zoey.

“My mum told me all this when she told me to watch my weight. So now no more chocolates or candies for me. Only healthy cereals and sandwiches, lots of proteins and vitamins. Trust me they are yummy!” Zoey said with a determination in her eyes.