Carbohydrates

Question 1

Define carbohydrate

Answer 1

Any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose

Question 2

What are carbohydrates composed of?

Answer 2

Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen

Question 3

What are the functions of carbohydrates?

Answer 3

• the quickest source of energy for the body
• prevents your body from using protein in your body (from muscle) as an energy source
• regulates the amount of sugar circulating in your blood so all of the cells get the energy they require
• provide nutrients for microorganisms in your body like the bacteria in your digestive tract
• help your body absorb the micronutrient calcium

Question 4

What are the three carbohydrates?

Answer 4

Monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides

Question 5

Define monosaccharide

Answer 5

A sugar that is not decomposable into simpler sugars by hydrolysis

Question 6

What are monosaccharides also known as?

Answer 6

Simple sugars

Question 7

What do monosaccharides consist of?

Answer 7

A single unit

Question 8

What do monosaccharides do?

Answer 8

They are accessed very quickly by the body and are therefore quick sources of energy

Question 9

What are the three most common monosaccharides?

Answer 9

Glucose, fructose and galactose

Question 10

Where is glucose found?

Answer 10

Fruits and vegetables

Question 11

Where is fructose found?

Answer 11

Fruits and vegetables

Question 12

Where is galactose found?

Answer 12

The sugar found in milk

Question 13

Define disaccharide

Answer 13

Any of a class of sugars whose molecules contain two monosaccharide residues

Question 14

What do disaccharides consist of?

Answer 14

Two units linked together

Question 15

What do disaccharides do?

Answer 15

Disaccharides are digested into monosaccharides

Question 16

What are the three most common disaccharides?

Answer 16

Sucrose, maltose and lactose

Question 17

Where is sucrose found?

Answer 17

Naturally found in some plants like sugar cane, extracted and refined to make table sugar

Question 18

Where is maltose found?

Answer 18

Grains

Question 19

Where is lactose found?

Answer 19

Milk

Question 20

Define polysaccharide

Answer 20

A carbohydrate whose molecules consist of a number of sugar molecules bonded together

Question 21

What are polysaccharides also known as?

Answer 21

Complex carbohydrates

Question 22

What do polysaccharides consist of?

Answer 22

Three to several thousand units

Question 23

What do polysaccharides do?

Answer 23

Polysaccharides are broken digested to glucose in the body.

Question 24

What are the three most common polysaccharides?

Answer 24

Starch, glycogen and fibre

Question 25

Where is starch found?

Answer 25

Found in beans, potatoes, rice and other grains

Question 26

Where is glycogen found?

Answer 26

Found in liver and muscle cells

Question 27

What happens if the glycogen stores are full?

Answer 27

Excess carbohydrate is stored as fat in adipose tissue. This could lead to weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Question 28

Define fibre

Answer 28

Dietary material containing substances such as cellulose, lignin, and pectin, that are resistant to the action of digestive enzymes

Question 29

What is special about fibre?

Answer 29

Humans are unable to digest fibre, therefore it does not get broken down and used for energy like the other carbohydrates

Question 30

What are the two types of dietary fibre?

Answer 30

Soluble and insoluble

Question 31

Define dietary fibre

Answer 31

Dietary fiber is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes

Question 32

What does soluble fibre do?

Answer 32

Helps aid absorption of certain substances. It also ferments in the intestinal tract contributing to an environment for growth of healthy gut bacteria

Question 33

Where is soluble fibre found?

Answer 33

Found in nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and some fruits and vegetables

Question 34

What does insoluble fibre do?

Answer 34

Absorbs water as it moves through the digestive system, preventing constipation and hemorrhoids. Promotes bowel regularity and aids in bulking

Question 35

Where is insoluble fibre found?

Answer 35

Found in foods like whole grains and the skin of vegetables and fruits

Question 36

What happens if you eat too much fibre?

Answer 36

Too much fibre may lead to diarrhea and excessive gas

Question 37

Define glycemic index

Answer 37

A system that ranks foods on a scale from 1 to 100 based on their effect on blood-sugar levels

Question 38

What are foods with a high glycemic index?

Answer 38

Soda and white bread

Question 39

What are foods with a medium glycemic index?

Answer 39

Vegetables, fruits and whole grains

Question 40

What are foods with a low glycemic index?

Answer 40

Eggs, cheese and meats

Question 41

Define insulin?

Answer 41

A hormone produced in the pancreas which regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin causes a form of diabetes

Question 42

What is insulin resistance?

Answer 42

Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from your blood. As a result, your pancreas makes more insulin to help glucose enter your cells

Question 43

What are the symptoms of metabolic syndrome?

Answer 43

Most of the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome don’t have obvious signs or symptoms. One sign that is visible is a large waist circumference. And if your blood sugar is high, you might notice the signs and symptoms of diabetes — such as increased thirst and urination, fatigue, and blurred vision