Carbohydrates Flashcards
(51 cards)
Carbohydrates
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen (CHO)
Energy Cycles
- Through photosynthesis, plants combine carbon dioxide, water and the sun’s energy to form glucose
- When humans metabolize glucose, energy and carbon dioxide are released
Types of carbohydrates
- Simple CHO (sugars)
- Complex CHO or polysaccharides (starch and fibre)
Simple Carbohydrates
- Monosaccharides
- Glucose
- Galactose
- Fructose
- Disaccharides
- Sucrose (glucose + fructose)
- Maltose (Glucose + Glucose)
- Lactose (Glucose + Galactose)
Glucose (Monosaccharides)
Brain is completely dependent on glucose as its energy source
Galactose (Monosaccharides)
Differs from glucose only in that hydroxyl group faces in a different direction on the number four carbon
Fructose (Monosaccharides)
- Same chemical formula as glucose but different structure
- Natural sources: fruits, honey, sugarcane
- Also found in soft drinks, cereals, and products sweetened with high fructose corn syrup
Disaccharides
Pairs of two monosaccharides linked together
Sucrose (glucose + fructose) (Disaccharides)
Table sugar, also found in many F&V, especially sugar beets and sugarcane
Maltose (Glucose + Glucose)
(Disaccharides)
- Common breakdown product of plant starches, rarely found in foods
- Associated with sweet taste in mouth when chewing bread
Lactose (Glucose + Galactose)
(Disaccharides)
Milk sugar, found in dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese
Polysaccharides
Long chains of monosaccharides that may be branched or not branched
Plant forms: Starch and fibre (Polysaccharides)
Human digestive enzymes can break the bonds between glucose units in starch but not in fibre (e.g., cellulose)
Animal form: glycogen (more branched)
(Polysaccharides)
- Human digestive enzymes can break the bonds
- Found in liver and muscle (meat)
Recommendations
- DRI
- 45-65% of energy from carbohydrates, emphasis on complex and whole grain
- Minimum 130 grams per day
- <25% of energy from added sugars
Food Sources
- Pasta
- Rice
- Beans
- Cereals
- Breads
- Milk/milk products
- Fruits
- Starchy Vegetables (Potatoes, Peas, Corn, Squash)
Dietary Fibre
- Suggested intake:
- WHO: >25 g per day
- DRI:
- <50 yrs: males 38g/d; females 25 g/d
- > 50 yrs: males 30 g/d; females 21 g/d
Water Soluble Fibre (Types & Sources)
- Types:
- gums, mucilages, pectins, psyllium, some hemicellulose
- Sources:
- Oats, oat bran, barley, rye, seeds, fruits, vegetables,legumes
Water Soluble Fibre (Benefits)
- Lower blood cholesterol
- Slow glucose absorption
- Slow transit of food through upper digestive tract
- Hold moisture in stools, softening them
- Yield small, fat-like molecules after fermentation that the colon can use for energy
- Lower risk of heart disease and diabetes
Insoluble Fibre (Types & Sources)
- Types:
- Cellulose, lignin, and some hemicellulose
- Sources:
- Brown rice, wheat bran, whole grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, legumes
Water Insoluble Fibre (Benefits)
- Increase fecal weight
- Increase colonic transit
- Alleviate constipation
- Reduce risk for diverticular disease, hemorrhoids and appendicitis
- Provide bulk and feeling of fullness
- Weight management
Consumer Corner
- If a bread contains a refined flour, the husk, germ and bran have been removed lower in nutrients and fibre
- If a bread contains an enriched flour, some or all of the nutrients lost when the flour was processed have been added back
How Carbohydrates in Food Become Glucose in the Body
- Mouth
- Stomach
- Small Intestine
- Fibre travels unchanged to the colon
- Absorption of glucose, fructose and galactose into bloodstream
- Liver
- All digestible CHO becomes glucose in the body and is used for:
- Energy (Directly, or from glycogen stores)
- Glycoproteins (CHO attached to proteins) e.g. mucus, cell membranes
Mouth (Glucose in the Body)
Minor digestion by salivary amylase (5%)