This is the name given to certain organic compounds of carbon that are produced by plants in the process of growth from carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, with the oxygen and hydrogen in proportions to form water.
In everyday language we know the most important of these carbohydrates as starches and sugars. As will be seen later, carbohydrates are complex substances composed, in most instances, of simpler substances, or building blocks, called sugars. Chief among the carbohydrates are:
Fruits–Bananas, all sweet fruits, hubbard squash, etc.
Nuts–A few varieties–acorns, chestnuts and cocoanuts.
Tubers–potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, artichokes, parsnips, etc.
Legumes–Most beans, except some varieties of soybeans, all peas, peanuts. Cereals–All grains and practically all cereal products. (Gluten bread is not a carbohydrate.)
The reader will notice that grains and legumes are classed both as proteins and carbohydrates. This is due to the fact that they contain enough of each of these food elements to be placed in both classes.
Nuts, for the same reason, are classed both as proteins and as fats. Milk, commonly classed as a protein is really low in protein. It may with equal justification be classed as a sugar or carbohydrate. All foods contain more or less carbohydrates, as they all contain more or less protein. Most foods contain some fats, but there is none in most fruits nor in the green leaves of vegetables.
Excerpt from Classic Health Book “The Hygiene System”
