Carbohydrates

Question 1

Explain the term glycaemic loading in relation to carbohydrate absorbtion

Answer 1

• glycemic load has been created to take into account both the amount of carbohydrate in the food together with how quickly it raises blood glucose levels
• a food glycaemic load is determined by the multiplication of its glycaemic indee and the amount of carbohydrate in the food. 20 or more is high, 11-19 is medium, 10 or lower is low

Question 2

Expoain the term gycaemic indew in relation to carbohydrate absorbtion

Answer 2

• the glycaemic is the classicfication used to identify which carbohydrates are quickly broken down to glucose after a particular food is consumed.
• different carbohydrates are digested and absorbed at different rates
• a lower glycaemic indee suggests slower rates of digestion and absorbtion
• foods with carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream are said to be of high GI

Question 3

Explain the functions of carbohydrates as a nutrient in the body

Answer 3

• energy, glucose is oxised in the cells and broken down in a series of reactions and enegry is released providing 17kJ of energy per g
• storage of energy, glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles as a readily available reserve of carbohydrate; when glycogen stores are full futher excesses are converted into fat and stored all over the body in the fatty cells of the apidose tissue
• protein sparing; a moderate carbohydrate intake ensures that most of the dietary protein can be used for growth purposes
• dietary fibre; unavailable carbohydrates i.e. those not broken down by digestive enzymes give hulk to the faeces