Carbohydrates Flashcards
What is the primary role of carbohydrates
To provide the body with energy (calories)
Carbohydrates are mostly found in:
Plant foods; milk is the only animal food that contains carbs
Carbohydrates are divided into 2 categories:
Complex and Simple
Monosaccharides are
Single sugars
Disaccharides are
Double sugars
Glucose
The building block of carbohydrates, used in both plant an animal tissues as quick energy
Fructose is:
Fruit sugar
The 3 most important monosaccharides are:
Glucose, fructose, galactose
The 3 most important disaccharides are:
lactose, maltose, sucrose
What are complex carbohydrates?
Starch and fiber
What are simple carbohydrates?
Naturally occurring sugars in fresh fruit, some vegetables, milk and milk products
By law enriched grains must include:
B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and the mineral iron
What are the 2 forms of fiber
Soluble and insoluble
Stimulates the muscles of the digestive tract; does not dissolve in water
Insoluble Fiber
Reduces the risk of heart disease and improve diabetes control
Soluble Fiber
Stored in the liver and the muscle; can be broken down by the liver to maintain a constant supply of blood glucose level what carbohydrate intake is low
Glycogen
True or False: Liver cells can store an unlimited quantity of glucose?
False
What 2 hormones are secreted by the pancreas to maintain a normal blood glucose level?
Insulin and glucagon
What is the role of insulin?
Assists cells in drawing glucose from the blood
What is the role of glucagon?
Signals the liver to release glucose into the blood stream
What is hypoglycemia?
Insulin response is too excessive; blood glucose levels drop below normal
What is hyperglycemia?
Abnormally high blood glucose concentration
Type 2 diabetes
Those whose bodies make insulin but the cells resist responding to it
Type 1 diabetes
Produce no (or very little) insulin
