CARBOHYDRATES Flashcards
(27 cards)
what 3 things are considered carbohydrates
starch
sugar
non starch polysaccharide (fibre)
what does sugar and starch do
provide the body with energy
what does fibre not do
provide the body with energy
how many kcal does sugar and starch provide the body per 1g
3.75kcal
how is starch formed and what happens when its digested
formed from thousands of glucose units joined together. when digested the big molecule is gradually broken down into smaller pieces and as this happens energy is released into the body
give 6 examples of starch
bread pasta cous cous rice potatoes wholegrain breakfast cereals
what is sugar
a very small molecule and its digested very quickly- this is why it provides a fairly immediate supply of energy
give 6 examples of sugary foods
biscuits cakes sweets crisps fizzy drinks milk/white chocolate
how much fibre are adults recommended to take each day
18g
what are the 2 types of fibre
insoluble
soluble
give 5 foods high in insoluble fibre
wholegrain bread wholegrain pasta wholegrain rice pulses fruits with skins
what is the function of insoluble fibre
acts like a sponge and absorbs water as it moves through the digestive system. this adds bulk to the faeces, making it soft and easily removed from the body
what can a lack of insoluble fibre cause
constipation
bowel cancer
diverticular disease
what is constipation
the faeces becomes very hard and moves slowly through the intestine and a lot of effort is required to remove them
when does diverticular disease occur
when increased pressure (due to lack of fibre and water) causes pouches of the bowel lining to be forced out through the intestinal wall. if the get inflamed/infected they will be painful
give 4 examples of soluble fibre
oats
fruit
pulses
root vegetables
what is the main function of soluble fibre
helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and therefore reduce the risk of CHD and stroke
what do most foods rich in fibre contain
a mix of soluble and insoluble fibre
eating too many sugary and starchy carbohydrates may increase your risk of developing what
obesity
why can starch and sugar cause obesity and what can it lead to in later life
they both provide energy and if the energy isn't all used up it will store as fat in the body. this increases the risk of developing: type 2 diabetes CHD HBP stroke later on in life
what should you get most of your energy from and why
starchy carbohydrates
they provide you with a range of different nutrients, a steady release of energy which lasts longer and it helps to maintain blood sugar levels in the blood
why shouldn’t you get most of your energy from sugary foods
it only provides a ‘quick’ release of energy and too many foods contain sugar which can lead to tooth decay
what causes tooth decay
bacteria in the mouth feed on the sugar on the food we eat and produces an acid. the sticky mixture of food, bacteria and acid is known as plaque. the acid erodes the tooth enamel eventually causing tooth decay
fizzy drinks are a sugary food, what else does it contain and what does it do
a substance called phosphoric acid that dissolves tooth enamel
