Carbohydrates Flashcards
What are carbohydrates needed for ?
Energy
what main types can carbohydrates be split into ?
Sugar and starch
Sugars e.g. glucose and fructose can be found in which food ?
Can be found in food naturally (e.g. sugars in fruits and vegetables) or can be added to food during the manufacturing process (cakes and sweets)
What are empty calories ?
They are added sugars and they are referred to as empty calories because they have no
nutritional value benefit other than calories
What foods can starch be found in ?
Potatoes, bread, pasta, rice and cereals, as well as vegetables and fruit (in smaller amounts)
What nutrients do starchy foods contain ?
B vitamins, iron and calcium
What starch food have a really higher fibre content ?
Whole grain starch foods
What happens when we eat carbohydrate-based foods?
our body break down the sugar and starch into glucose, which is absorbed into our blood and used by our body for energy
What can simple carbohydrates such as sugar be divided into ?
Monosaccharides
Disaccharides
What are monosaccharides?
The most basic sugar molecules e.g glucose and fructose
What are disaccharides?
Disaccharides are made up of two monosaccharides, e.g made up of glucose and fructose
How does the body digest simple carbohydrates?
The body rapidly digests simple carbohydrates, making sugar levels rise quickly and providing a short burst of energy
What are complex carbohydrates?
Complex carbohydrates such as starch are polysaccharides
What are polysaccharides made up of ?
Polysaccharides are made up of lots of monosaccharides joined together.
How does the body digest complex carbohydrates?
Complex carbohydrates take a lot longer to digest than simple ones, so they gradually increase blood sugar levels and provide a slow, steady release
What is a glycaemic index (GI) ?
The glycaemic index (GI) rates carbohydrates on how quickly they affect blood sugar
How are high GI foods digested ?
High GI foods are digested quickly and cause a rapid rise in blood sugar
What are examples of high index foods ?
White bread/pasta/rice/ cornflakes and watermelon
How are low GI foods digested ?
Low GI foods are digested slowly and cause a gradual rise in blood sugar levels
What are examples of Low GI foods ?
Wholewheat bread/pasta, brown rice, peaches and porridge
What percentage of our energy should come from carbohydrates?
50%
Most of this energy should come from starchy foods and natural sugars
Free sugar, such as those added to food and drinks during manufacturing and those found in sweet foods like syrups and fruit juice , should take up no more than 5%
What happens if you have an excess of carbohydrates?
- If we more more energy from carbohydrates than our body uses. The body converts this into fat. Causing obesity and other related health-issues
- Sugars are digested quickly , the energy is ready quickly, if not used quickly, we store it as fat.
- Suggary foods can lead to tooth decay, sometimes called dental carries. Free sugars are the worst type of sugar for tooth decay, because the sugars are already released and ready to attack your teeth
- simple carbs are digested quickly, they cause rapid surges in the blood sugar levels. If our blood sugar levels fluctuate too widely it can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.
What can a carbohydrate deficiency lead to ?
- caused blood sugar levels to drop. Causing hunger, dizziness and tiredness because our body has less energy.
- Our body will start to use up our fat store for energy.
- our bodies will start to use up protein - causing a lose of muscle and makes us weaker
