Unit 2 - Carbohydrates Flashcards
What are examples of monosaccharides?
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Galactose
What are examples of disaccharides?
- Sucrose
- Lactose
- Maltose
What is sucrose?
Glucose and fructose
What is lactose?
Glucose and galactose
What is maltose?
Glucose and glucose
What are examples of polysaccharides?
- Glycogen
- Starch
- Fibre
What is glycogen used for?
A storage form of energy in humans and animals
What is starch used for?
A storage form of energy in plants
What is the richest source of starch?
Grains
What are glycogen and starch composed of?
Glucose
What is fibre composed of?
A variety of monosaccharides and other carbohydrate derivatives
What is significant about resistant starches?
They escape digestion and absorption in the small intestine
In which foods are resistant starches found?
- Whole or partially milled grains
- Legumes
- Raw potatoes
- Unripe bananas
Do resistant starches help or harm the colon?
Help
What is important about food fibres?
- Fermented by bacteria in the digestive tract
- Can yield 1.5-2.5 calories per gram
What is the difference between soluble and insoluble fibres?
Soluble fibres dissolve in water and insoluble fibres do not
What are 3 characteristics of soluble fibres?
- Form gels and are viscous
- More readily digested by bacteria in the large intestine
- Often associated with lower risks of chronic diseases
In which foods are soluble fibres found?
- Barley
- Legumes
- Fruits and vegetables
- Oats
What is an example of an insoluble fibre?
Cellulose
In which foods are insoluble fibres found?
- Outer layers of whole grains
- Strings of celery
- Hulls of seeds
- Skin of corn kernels
What is important about insoluble fibres?
Aid the digestive system by easing elimination
Carbohydrates should contribute about ____ of the energy requirement
One-half
What is the RDA for carbs?
130 g
What is the daily value for fiber?
25 g
What is the UL of fiber?
40 g
What are the common symptoms of lactose intolerance?
- Diarrhea
- Increased intestinal gas
Generally people with lactose intolerance can tolerate up to _____ of milk per day without problems
2 cups
How can a person improve their lactose intolerance and why?
Regular consumption of milk products because it increased the amount of lactose metabolized by intestinal bacteria
Why do most people with lactose intolerance tolerate aged cheeses?
Because they contain less lactose
What are 2 dairy products that people with lactose intolerance can normally tolerate?
- Chocolate milk
- Aged cheeses
How can a person with lactose intolerance eat dairy products?
- Adding a lactase preparation to milk
- Take an enzyme tablet before consuming foods with lactose
What is the function of insulin?
Moves glucose from the blood into the cells
What is the function of glucagon?
Brings glucose out of storage when blood glucose falls
What is the normal fasting blood glucose level?
4-6 mmol/L
What is hypoglycemia?
Low blood glucose
What are common symptoms of hypoglycemia?
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Disorientation
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Headache
- Coma
What is hyperglycemia?
High blood glucose
What are common symptoms of hyperglycemia?
- Confusion
- Headache
- Extremely thirsty
- Frequent urination
What is glycemic index?
A ranking of carbohydrate-rich foods according to their effect on blood glucose levels compared to a standard (a pure glucose solution is given a score of 100)
Do you want to choose foods with a low or high glycemic index?
Low
What does glycemic index measure?
How quickly a carbohydrate in a food is digested and absorbed
What are the main factors that affect the glycemic index of a food?
- Starch structure
- Fiber content
- Presence of fat and protein
- Food processing and cooking
- Mixture of foods in a meal
- Individual glucose tolerance
Foods with mainly the _____ form of starch tend to have a high glycemic index
Branched
Foods with soluble fibers tend to have ____ glycemic index
Lower
Fats tend to ____ a food’s glycemic index
Decrease
Protein ____ the rate at which glucose is taken up from the blood
Increases
With respect to carbohydrate counting, what is most important for blood sugar control?
The total amount of carbs consumed per day
What can a high glycemic load do to the body?
Increase the body’s demand for insulin and eventually reduce pancreatic function
Should people with diabetes have more or less sugar and fiber than the general population?
Around the same
What has sugar shown to do to the body?
Cause or increase the risk of obesity, heart disease, nutrient deficiencies, and dental caries
How do dental caries develop?
When the bacteria that resides in the dental plaque metabolizes dietary carbs and produces acids that attack tooth enamel
What influences the development of dental caries?
- Type of carbs consumed
- Frequency of carb intake
- Stickiness of foods that contain carbs
- Availability of saliva to rinse the teeth and neutralize acid
Has sugar been shown to cause hyperactivity?
No
Has sugar been shown to worsen behaviour in children?
No
What effect does fructose have on the body?
Stimulates the body’s fat-making pathways and impairs its fat-clearing pathways
What are sugar alcohols called alcohol?
Because of their structure
Sugar alcohols occur naturally in _____
Fruits and vegetables
What is the function of sugar alcohols?
Provide sweetness and bulk to foods like cookies, sugarless gum, hard candies, and jams
Do sugar alcohols trigger a low or high glycemic response and what does this mean?
- Low glycemic response
- Yield slightly less energy than sucrose because it isn’t absorbed completely
What does glycemic response mean?
How quickly glucose is absorbed after a person eats, how high blood glucose rises, and how quickly it returns to normal
Is it better to have a low or high glycemic response?
Low
What is another name for sugar alcohols and why?
Nutritive sweeteners because they yield some energy
What is the advantage to sugar alcohols?
Don’t cause tooth decay
What are 2 advantages to artificial sweeteners?
- Considered calorie-free because so little is used
- Don’t cause tooth decay
What are common artificial sweeteners?
- Acesulfame potassium
- Aspartame
- Sucralose (splenda)
- Stevia
What is significant about aspartame?
It contains phenylalanine and aspartic acid, so it must have a warning for people with phenylketouria
