carbohydrate
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carbohydrate
A nutrient made up of sugar molecules that serves as an important source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates are found, for example, in bread, pasta, rice, and potatoes.
Vor dem Marathon essen viele Läufer eine Mahlzeit, die reich an Kohlenhydraten ist.
Before the marathon, many runners eat a meal that is rich in carbohydrates.
The word is made up of 'Kohle' (for the element carbon) and 'Hydrat' (from Greek for water). So it literally describes the chemical structure of these nutrients.
Chemisch gesehen bestehen Kohlenhydrate aus Kohlenstoff- und Wasserstoffatomen.
Chemically speaking, carbohydrates consist of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
In the field of nutrition, the word is often combined with adjectives and phrases such as 'reich an' (rich in) or 'arm an' (low in), as well as 'einfache Kohlenhydrate' (simple carbohydrates) or 'komplexe Kohlenhydrate' (complex carbohydrates).
Eine Diät, die arm an Kohlenhydraten ist, kann beim Abnehmen helfen.
A diet that is low in carbohydrates can help with weight loss.
In the common phrase 'reich an ...' (rich in ...) or 'arm an ...' (low in ...), 'Kohlenhydrate' is in the dative plural, so it becomes 'an Kohlenhydraten'.
Nudeln und Brot sind reich an Kohlenhydraten.
Pasta and bread are rich in carbohydrates.
strength / starch
'die Stärke' and 'das Kohlenhydrat' can both occur in the context of nutrition. In this meaning, 'Stärke' is a specific substance found, for example, in potatoes, corn, or grain, and it is also used in cooking. 'Kohlenhydrat' is the more general nutrient. So starch is a type of carbohydrate, but not every carbohydrate is starch. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with energy and food. As a practical rule: in cooking or when talking about a specific substance, people often say 'Stärke'; when talking about nutrition in general, they tend to say 'Kohlenhydrate'.
Nach dem Training isst Sofia Reis, weil Kohlenhydrate schnell Energie geben.
After training, Sofia eats rice because carbohydrates provide quick energy.
Für die Soße rührt Tom etwas Stärke in kaltes Wasser.
For the sauce, Tom stirs a little starch into cold water.