Carbohydrates Flashcards
(44 cards)
What are simple carbohydrates?
- monosaccharides (MS)
- disaccharides (DS)
- “sugars” -plant & animal sources
- “simple sugars” -plant & animal sources
- refined: table sugar
- unrefined: fruits, dairy, honey

What are complex carbohydrates?
- polysaccharides (PS)
- “starch” -plant sources
- “dietary fibres” -plant sources
- “glycogen” -animal sources
- refined - white flour, white rice
- unrefined - whole grains, starchy vegetables, legumes

What are monosaccharides?
Single sugar units
a. GLU – glucose (blue)
- found in all 3 disaccharides and polysaccharides
- starch – major food source of energy in the world
- glycogen – form of energy storage in body
- often called ‘blood sugar’
- mildly sweet on tongue
- ex., starchy vegetables, grains, legumes
b. FRU – fructose (pink)
- intensely sweet on tongue
- ex., fruits, honey, maple syrup, high fructose corn syrup
c. GAL – galactose (green)
- mildly sweet on tongue
- ex., milk, few milk products

What are disaccharides?
2 monosaccharides linked via condensation reaction
a. Sucrose – SUC = GLU + FRU
- table sugar
- maple syrup, honey, sugar cane and beets
b. Lactose – LAC = GLU + GAL
- milk sugar
- can account for 30-50% of energy from milk
c. Maltose – MAL = GLU + GLU
- germinating grains = partial breakdown of starch
- partial digestion of starch in humans
What is glycogen?
- storage form of carbohydrates in animal tissues (muscle, liver)
- highly branched chains of mostly glucose, fast source of energy due to multiple branch ends, highly hydrated
- sources – negligible amount in meats; not found in plant foods
- A glycogen molecule contains hundreds of glucose units in highly branched chains.

What is glycogenolysis?
- Rapid enzymatic breakdown of glycogen, surge of glucose available as source of energy
What is starch?
- storage form of carbohydrates in plants
- amylose = unbranched chains of GLU units
- amylopectin = occasionally branched chains of GLU units
- resistant starch – starch not hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes
- sources – Grains: wheat (NA, Europe), rice (Asia), corn (CA, SA), millet, rye, barley, oats; Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, peanuts; Tubers: potatoes, yams, cassava; Veggies

What is a whole grain?
Provide examples
- three parts (bran, germ, endosperm) present
Examples:
Amaranth*
*gluten-free Barley
Buckwheat*
Bulghur
Corn*
Cornmeal
whole* Kamut
Millet*
Oatmeal*
Oats, whole*
Popcorn*
Quinoa*
Rice – brown & coloured*
Sorghum*
Spelt
Triticale
Whole rye
Whole or cracked wheat
Wheat berries
Wild rice*

What is dietary fibre?
- structural form of carbohydrates in plants
- heterogeneous group of polysaccharides
- mostly GLU units linked in b-1,4 bonds which are resistant to human enzymatic hydrolysis in digestive tract
- common classification system: water soluble & water insoluble
- most fibre-containing foods are a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibres
- feed gut bacteria - ‘prebiotics’
Compare the structure of starch and fibre.
Starch
- alpha-1,4 bonds – hydrolyzed by humans
Fiber
- ß-1,4 bonds – not hydrolyzed by human digestive enzymes

Describe the health effects, components, and food sources of water-soluble fiber.
- Greatest effect in small intestine
- Viscous, more fermentable
- Dissolves or swells in water, delays gastric emptying.
- contributes to satiety
- Slows glucose absorption.
- Slows transit time through GI tract.
- Lowers serum cholesterol.
- Metabolized by bacteria in colon to produce gases and short chain fatty acids.
- components: pectins, gums, mucilages Hemicelluloses
- food sources: citrus fruit, apples, legumes, oats, barley, cereals, vegetables
Describe the health effects, components, and food sources of insoluble dietary fibres.
- greatest effect in large intestine
- Non-viscous, less fermentable
- Contribute to satiety
- Not dissolved in water, but attracts H2O. § Accelerates transit time through GI tract.
- Increases fecal bulk, softens stool.
- Not metabolized by bacteria in colon.
- Carbohydrate components: Cellulose, Hemicelluloses
- Carbohydrate food sources: Whole wheat, cereals, legumes, vegetables
- Non-carbohydrate components: Lignan
- Non-carbohydrate food sources: Vegetables
Describe digestion of carbohydrates in the mouth.
- salivary amylase starts the digestion of starch to shorter PS and to DS (maltose) level
- fibre: slows eating, increases saliva production
Desribe digestion of carbohydrates in the stomach.
- salivary amylase – not acid-stable, denatured, no CHO digestion in stomach
- fibre: delays gastric emptying (esp. soluble), contributes to satiety
Describe digestion of carbohydrates in the small intestine.
- Secretin, hormone produced in small intestine, stimulates pancreas to release juices into lumen, that include pancreatic amylase – digests polysaccharides to discaccharide level
- Crypt glands secrete intestinal enzymes, sucrase, maltase & lactase, digest disaccharides into constituent monosaccharides
- Fibre – not digested: slows absorption of monosaccharides, blunts blood insulin, high intakes can bind minerals

Describe digestion of carbohydrates in the large intestine.
- minimal, if any digestion
- insoluble fibres attract water, soften stool, easier elimination, fewer/lower GI tract conditions
- soluble fibres fermented by bacteria – produce SCFA (2-4 carbons) and gases (CO2, CH4, H2)
- resistant starches (found in legumes, unripe bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes…) and undigested disaccharides (i.e., lactose) pass through the small intestine into the colon where they are fermented by bacteria to produce SCFA and gases, or are excreted
- SCFA can be used as a source of energy by the body
Describe the absorption and transport of carbohydrates.
- glucose & galactose (a.t./f.d.)
- fructose (f.d./f.d.)
- monosaccharides (MS) cross the intestinal cells to enter the blood capillaries in the absorptive villi, then travel directly to the liver, entering through the portal vein
- once MS enter the liver, they are almost entirely converted to glucose for use by the body
- fibre, resistant starches and undigested lactose are not absorbed

Describe liver metabolism of dietary carbohydrates.
In the liver GLU can:
- be used as an immediate source of energy for the liver itself
- be transported out of the liver through the hepatic vein in the bloodstream for use by other cells
- be stored as glycogen for later use as GLU
- if in excess to body needs, be converted into fat then transported to and stored in the adipose cells
What are the 5 main functions of carbohydrates?
- Fuel Source
- Potential Energy – as CHO (glycogen)
- Storage of Excess CHO kcal as Body Fat
- Endogenous Sources of CHO
- Maintenance of Blood Glucose Level
Describe the catabolism of glucose.
- anerobic respiration
- lactic acid builds up in muscle cells, decreases pH, increases pain, slows activity, if increased O2 available then switch to aerobic metabolism
- lactic acid travels from muscle to liver, converted into pyruvate (Cori cycle), then to glucose through the process of gluconeogenesis, and travels back to muscles for aerobic metabolism into immediate energy (ATP) + CO2 + H2O
Describe the storage of carbohydrates in the liver.
- Liver – holds ~300-400 kcal of energy as GLU in the form of glycogen
- ~1/4 of body CHO stores
- when at rest, liver stores of glycogen can supply GLU for ~24 hours
- when active, glycogen stores can supply GLU for as little time as a few hours
- free GLU available to other tissues because liver has glucose 6-phosphatase enzyme activity (not active in muscles)
Describe the storage of carbohydrates in muscle.
- capacity for storing ~1400 kcal of energy as GLU in the form of glycogen (trained athlete)
- more typical stores ~500-700 kcal
- can represent ~3/4 of body CHO stores
- GLU only used internally by each muscle cell
Describe the storage of carbohydrates in the bloodstream.
- Not a true storage site
- ~20-80 kcal continuously streaming in and out of blood
What does the body rely on for long term energy reserves?
The body relies on fat – a relatively water-free energy storage system – very large amounts can be stored.






