2. ๏จ Sugars supply our bodies with energy
๏จ They are organic
๏จ They consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
๏จ Are very vital to our bodies metabolism
3. SIMPLE CARBS COMPLEX CARBS
๏จ Sugars are the simplest.
๏จ Monosaccharide s are
glucose, fructose and
galactose.
๏จ Glucose is the most
important for the body
๏จ Made up of simple
sugars linked together by
chains
๏จ Length of the chain
affects how carbs
function in our bodies
๏จ Starches and fibers
together make up
complex carbs
4.
5.
6.
7. โขReduces risk of
chronic bowel
disorders
โขReduces risk of
colon cancer
โขReduces risk of
Diabetes
โขReduces risk of
Heart Disease
8.
9. ๏จ Carbs are the energy our bodies need
๏จ There are two types of carbs: simple
and complex
๏จ Not all carbs are the same
๏จ Eating whole foods and avoiding
refined foods is key to maintaining
good health
10. ๏จ Grosvenor, M. B., & Smolin, L. A. (2006). Nutrition: Everyday
choices. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons.
๏จ http://fullissue.com
๏จ sgfitnessblog.wordpress.com
๏จ dynastyfitness.com
๏จ medbio.info
๏จ healthinmotion.wordpress.com
๏จ tutorvista.com
๏จ lowglycemiccarbohydrates.50webs.com
Editor's Notes
Carbohydrates are sugars derived from different carbohydrate rich foods that supplies our bodies with itโs needed energy. The group of compounds that make up carbohydrates are carbon, and hydrogen as well as oxygen in the same proportion as water (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). Whole sources of carbohydrate rich foods are more beneficial to our bodies energy making process. Whole foods are those that are consumed in itโs natural state as opposed to refined carbohydrates. Refined carbohydrates are foods that have been washed, cooked, boiled , filtered or purified in some way. Refining grains cause the loss of some micronutrients and fiber that are normally there is the grains. When one eats oatmeal or whole wheat products, they are eating the whole grain product. Added refined sugars are not different chemically or nutritionally from naturally occurring sugars found in foods, however once the sugars are divided from their plant foundation, they cannot be utilized with the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other materials that are found in the original plant (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006).
Carbohydrates are not all the same. While they share the same name, as their prefixes note, some are simple in structure and others are complex. Simple sugars are one sugar molecule or a monosaccharide. When two combine they are called a disaccharide. These are known as simple as simple carbohydrates. The most common monosaccharide's are glucose, fructose and galactose (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). Of these three, glucose is the most important fuel the body needs. Glucose is disseminated to the body cells in the blood and is what is known as blood sugar. Plants generate glucose through a process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis uses the Sunโs energy to combine carbon dioxide and water. Glucose is normally found as part of a disaccharide or as a starch (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006).
Complex carbs, on the other hand, are made up of several single sugar units that are connected together in chains (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). These are not sweet in taste. The length of the chain and how the sugars are linked affects the way they operate in our bodies and in our foods (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). Short chains of these complex carbs are called oligosaccharides. They are found in onions and beans, and cannot be processed by the human digestive system. They are instead absorbed by bacteria in the large intestine and cause gas. The longer chains are called polysaccharides, which includes glycogen in animals and starches and fibers in plants.
Starch, which is also a complex carb, is the storage form of carbs in plants that are linked together by either straight or split chains. Starch provides energy for growth and reproduction.
Simple carbs are quick energy sources as they require less of the human digestive process. Glucose is found in fruits and vegetables and makes up more than half of the sugar that is found in honey (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). Galactose, which is another simple carb does not often appear by itโs self in foods. It is most often used as part of lactose, which is the disaccharide in milk (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). Foods that are high in lactose sometimes adversely effect some people who have an intolerance to that lactose. These people are called โlactose intolerantโ. Lactose is unable to be digested because lactase levels have decreased, the consumed lactose is passed to the large intestine and broken down by bacteria instead of by the enzyme lactase. The lactose is undigested and then gas and acids produces by the bacterial digestion entices water into the intestine. This causes abdominal distention, gas, cramping, and diarrhea. For those that suffer from this intolerance, there is some dairy products made with the enzyme lactase. For the others, lactase tablets, taken with or before consuming milk products are accessible.
Whenever one eats potatoes and other tubers, what is being consumed is the storage organ of those plants. Eating sweet potatoes, yams, or cassava, is ingesting the starchy root of those plants. We eat the starchy seed of plants that produces pods whenever one eats legumes, like lentils, soybeans, and kidney beans. Products that are made from grain and produce starches from a seed are corn, rice, wheat, and oats. (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006).
Glucose is metabolized by glycolysis. Glycolysis is a process that breaks down glucose molecules into three carbon pyruvate molecules which produces ATP. When glucose completely breaks down through aerobic metabolism to develop carbon dioxide and water, it generates even more ATP. The blood stream transports glucose to the body cells. Hormones insulin and glucagon maintain glucose levels. Insulin is released from the pancreas when blood glucose rises to allow the body to absorb the glucose. Glucagon is released whenever blood glucose levels fall. The breakdown of glycogen and the synthesis of new glucose molecules causes the increase of blood glucose (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006).
There are some drawbacks to having a high in carb diet, especially one particularly with added sugars. With this type of high carb diet, there is the danger of dental caries, which is a multi-factorial infectious tooth disease. However, a high carb diet that is high in complex carbs that come from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes can greatly reduce the risk of chronic bowel disorders, colon Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart disease.
Carbs also helps prevent ketosis. While there is an plentiful source of stored energy in fat, one must have a small amount of carbs to completely burn that fat. When fatty acids are broken down into two carbon units, they can only be used to produce energy if they are joined with a molecule that comes from a carbohydrate (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). If there are not enough carbs, the two carbons from fat cannot be broken down by aerobic metabolism to give energy. Subsequently, the liver turns them into ketones, or keytone bodies, that travel from the liver in the blood to cells all over the body, where some are used for energy. The excess ketones are excreted from the body. If the ketone production is too high, they build up in the blood, making it more acidic. This is called ketosis. High ketosis can cause coma or even death (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006).
Fiber rich foods give micronutrients and phytochemicals the body needs to help protect against heart disease (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). They can also help lower blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fibers from legumes, oats, guar gum, pectin, flax seed, and psyllium are great at reducing cholesterol. Other great sources of healthy carbs are: breads, rice, pasta, berries, peas, spinach, broccoli, and most dry beans to include pinto, red, kidney and black-eyed.
Carbohydrates are sugars derived from different carbohydrate rich foods that supplies our bodies with itโs needed energy. Carbohydrates are not all the same. While they share the same name, as their prefixes note, some are simple in structure and others are complex. Simple carbs are quick energy sources as they require less of the human digestive process. Complex carbs, on the other hand, are made up of several single sugar units that are connected together in chains (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). A high carb diet that is high in complex carbs that come from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes can greatly reduce the risk of chronic bowel disorders, colon Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart disease. Carbs also helps prevent ketosis. Fiber rich foods give micronutrients and phytochemicals the body needs to help protect against heart disease (Grosvenor & Smolin 2006). They can also help lower blood cholesterol levels.