W2 C4 P.P. - Carbohydrates Flashcards
Where do you find carbohydrates?
Primarily in plant based foods:
- Grains
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Nuts
- Legumes
What is the most desirable form of energy for the body?
Glucose
Why is glucose important?
The brain and red blood cells especially rely on glucose as a fuel source.
How is glucose made?
The sun converts the sun’s energy into glucose via photosynthesis.
What is the most abundant carbohydrate in nature?
Glucose
How is glucose used in nature?
- Used as energy by plants
- Combined with minerals from soil to make other compounds (such as protein and vitamins)
- Glucose units are linked together and stored in the form of starch
What are the categories of carbohydrates?
Simple and complex (based on number of units joined together)
What do simple carbohydrates contain?
One or two sugar units (monosaccharides and disaccharides)
How many monosaccharides are there?
Three
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Galactose
How many disaccharides are there?
Three (they are monosaccharides joined together)
Maltose
A disaccharide
glucose + glucose
Sucrose
A disaccharide (table sugar)
glucose + fructose
Lactose
A disaccharide (milk sugar)
glucose + galactose
Complex Carbohydrates
Polysaccharides (long chains and branches of sugar linked together)
Ex. Starch, fiber, glycogen
Starch
The storage form in plants composed of amylose and amylopectin