Carbohydrates Flashcards
What is the main function of carbohydrates?
The body’s most abundant source of energy
What percentage of your daily calories should come from total carbohydrates?
Over half of daily calories45 - 65% of your daily calories
Name the two categories of carbohydrates
simple and complex
Describe simple carbohydrates
They have a sweet tasteProvide short term energyAre made up of monosaccharides and disaccharides
Why do simple carbohydrates provide only short term energy
Because they are made up of 1 or 2 sugar molecules bonded together and therefore are easily broken down into glucose in the body. Once they are broken down they are quickly used up for energy
What are some food sources of simple carbohydrates
Natural food sources like milk, fruit & vegetables and foods with added refined sugars like pop, candy, desserts, etc.
Describe complex carbohydrates
Have a bland tasteProvide long term energyAre made up of polysaccharides
Why do complex carbohydrates provide long term energy
Because they are made up of multiple sugar molecules bonded together in chains and therefore take much longer to break down into glucose in the body. Making the energy from glucose last much longer.
What are two types of complex carbohydrates
Starch and fiber (cellulose)
What are some food sources of carbohydrates
Fruits, vegetables, breads, grains, cereals, pasta, rice
Name the monosaccharides
Fructose, Glucose, Galactose
Name the disaccharides and how they are produces
Glucose + Fructose = SucroseGlucose + Galactose = LactoseGlucose + Glucose = Maltose
Name the polysaccharides
Starch and Fiber
What form of carbohydrate is the only form our body can use as energy, therefore all carbohydrates must be broken down into this before it can be used for energy?
glucose
What are whole grains?
Products made from whole grains include the bran and the germ. Products made from refined grains leave out the bran and the germ.
What make whole grains healthy
They provide health benefits such as reduced risk of colon problems, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, all of which can lead to further health problems and some cancers.
How many calories per gram of carbohydrates
4 calories per gram
What is dietary fiber?
Plant material that can’t be digested by the human bodyIt helps with the body’s digestive health - the elimination of waste products
What category of carbohydrate is the healthier of the two?
complex - starch & fiber (whole-grains)
What happens to the extra carbohydrate calories taken into the body (exceeds 45-65% of daily calories) that is not used for energy?
Stored as fat in cells
How can you choose healthy types of complex and simple carbohydrates to substitute for unhealthy types of carbohydrates?
Limit sugary foods, choose natural sugars like fruit.It provides both fiber and sweetness.Choose whole-grain products, like whole-grain cereals, pasta, breads, flour to eat and cook with.Avoid sucrose - table sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and other refined sugars.Avoid refined white flour products (breads, pasta) and sugary cereals, Avoid white rice.
