Carbohydrates

Question 1

What are simple carbohydrates? What are the major food sources?

Answer 1

monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose)/disaccharides (maltose, sucrose, lactose), in sugars

Question 2

What are complex carbohydrates? What are the major food food sources?

Answer 2

polysaccharides (3 to 10 monosaccharides), (starch, fiber, glycogen) in grains, legumes, tubers, root crops

Question 3

What are disaccharides? Give example(s).

Answer 3

pairs of monosaccharides linked together
- maltose (glucose + glucose)
- sucrose (glucose + fructose)
- lactose (glucose + galactose)

Question 4

What are monosaccharides? Give example(s).

Answer 4

carbohydrates that typically form a single ring. The monosaccharides important in nutrition are sugars with six atoms of carbon and the formula C6H12O6.
- glucose
- fructose
- galactose

Question 5

What are polysaccharides? Give example(s).

Answer 5

compounds of many monosaccharides linked together (3 to 10)
- glycogen (animal polysaccharide glucose)
- starches (plant polysaccharides, many glucose molecules)
- fibers (non-starch polysaccharides in plant foods, not digested by human digestive system - some can be in GI tract)

Question 6

What are the 2 different types of fiber?

Answer 6

Insoluble and soluble fiber

Question 7

What is insoluble fiber? What are the major food sources? What are the effects on the body?

Answer 7

non-starch polysaccharides that do not dissolve in water.
- benefit GI health
- similar to resistant starches
- whole grains, vegetables, fruit skins, nuts & seeds, legumes

Question 8

What is soluble fiber? What are the major food sources? What are the effects on the body?

Answer 8

non-starch polysaccharides that dissolve in water to form a gel.
- benefit heart disease, diabetes, cancers & weight management
- fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts & seeds, psyllium

Question 9

How are sugars and starches broken down in the digestive tract?

Answer 9

The salivary enzyme amylase starts to work in the mouth, hydrolyzing starch to shorter polysaccharides and to the disaccharide maltose. A major carbohydrate-digesting enzyme, pancreatic amylase, enters the small intestine via the pancreatic duct and continues breaking down the polysaccharides to shorter glucose chains and maltose.

Question 10

List the major functions of glucose in the body:

Answer 10

Supplies energy to the brain, cell work, and other tissue
Organs (pancreas, liver)
Hormones (insulin, glucagon)
Maintains constant blood glucose level
Prevent from breaking down protein as a source of protein
Prevent ketosis

Question 11

What are the health consequences of a diet high in sugars?

Answer 11

Sugars increase the risk of dental caries; excessive intakes displace needed nutrients and fiber and contribute to obesity when energy intake exceeds needs.