Carbs Flashcards
What makes up carbohydrates?
Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen?
There are a few groups:
Monosacchraides - single molecule sugars
Disaccharides - combination of 2 molecules
Oligosaccharides - short chain of monosaccharides that can be hydrolysed into simple sugars
Polysaccharides - large and complex molecules compsosed of many monosaccharide units. They can be either alpha or beta bonded
Where can carbs be sourced from?
Sugars such as honey, sugar beet and fruits
Lactose in milk and other dairy products
Straches such as potatoes, rice and ceral crops
Where can fibre be sourced from?
slowly fermeneted fibre such as wheat bran
Moderatley fermented fibre such as rice bran and pea fibre
Rapidly fermented fibre such as apples, cirtuc and guargum
What are the functions of carbohydrates?
Source of energy
Produces heat
Produces lactose in lacation
What are the functions of fibre?
Promotes and regulates bowel function
Bulks up diet and faeces as its not digested
Reduces absorption of other nutrients
Helps maintain the health of the colon
Explain the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates
Firstly in the mouth, the enzyme alpha amaylse found in the saliva acts upon the carbohydrtes. It then passes down the oesophagus into the stomach where hydrochloric acid and peptic acid acts on the carbs to break them down. Then it passes to the small intestine, enzymes are released from the pancreas into the small intestine to aid in the breakdown of carbohydrates.
Short chain fibres are rapidly fermented and longer chained fibres slowly fermented.
What are the requirements for carbohydrates in the diet?
There is no absolute relative requirements for carbohydrates in the dog or cat. But are given as an easily digestible source of energy. The requirement for carbohydrates increases at different life stages, pregnancy being one.
