Carbohydrates Flashcards
What does a carbohydrate do?
Provides energy and acts as a protein sparer
What are the types of carbohydrates?
Sugars- simple, Starches- complex, Dietary Fibre- complex
What are sugars divided into?
Single (monosaccharides) and double (disaccharides)
Single- monosaccharides- sugars:
Glucose-ripe fruits and veg (simplest sugar)
Fructose-fruits and honey
Double- disaccharides- sugars:
Sucrose-sugar and syrup
Lactose-dairy
Maltose-cereals
What are free sugars?
Sugars that are added or outside (broken the outside of the cell) the cell structure e.g granulated sugar, syrup, treacle, honey and unsweetened fruit juice.
What are fruit sugars?
Natural sugars from fruit and veg.
What are hidden sugars?
Sugars that are found in unexpected food - make sure you check labels carefully- e.g corn sugar.
What should you look out for on labels?
Dextrose Ose=contains sugar
Fructose Ase=enzymes
Glucose
Maltose
Molasses
Invert sugars
What are empty calories?
The name for sugar as sugar contains energy but no other nutrients.
What do artificial sweeteners do?
They add sweetness without increasing the energy content.
What are starches?
They are complex carbohydrates known as polysaccharides (lots of sugar).
Starch:
Main food store in plants
Made of many glucose molecules
Size can vary with each plant
Pectin:
Found naturally in some fruits
Forms a gel in water (helps jams set)
Reduces cholesterol in blood
Glycogen:
Made from glucose by HUMANS
Small amounts stored in the liver and muscles are an energy reserve
What are some good sources of starch?
Root veg e.g potatoes and parsnips
Cereal/cereal products e.g wheat, flour, bread and pasta
What percentage of starch should make up energy in our diet?
50%
Deficiency:
Unusual to be deficient in carbohydrates
Lack of energy can result in lower blood glucose level
Weight loss
Severe weakness- is fat stores is used up then protein store is used
Constipation/bowel cancer
Excess:
If carbohydrate energy is not used it is turned into fat
Obesity- lead to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Too many cereals could lead to a limited absorption of ion and calcium
What is a dietary fibre?
It is a non-starch polysaccharide (NSP)
E.g whole grain cereals, fruit and veg, pulses
What are the functions of dietary fibre?
Healthy digestive system
Weight control
Prevents bowel diseases-constipation, diverticulitis and bowler cancer
Provides soluble fibre
What does soluble fibre do?
Slows digestion and absorption of carbohydrates
Helps control blood sugars
E.g oats, nuts, fruit and veg
What does insoluble fibre do?
Absorbs water
Swells- bulkier stools
Can’t be broken down by the body
E.g whole grain foods e.g brown rice, fruit and veg peels/skins, nuts and seeds
What is the dietary reference value for fibre for adults and children?
Adult=30g
Kids=less due to size
