Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates are preferred • Grains, vegetables,
energy source for many of legumes, fruits, and milk
body’s functions offer ample carbohydrate.
– Human brain depends exclusively
on it as energy source
– Carbohydrate-rich diet
recommended for good health
• Fats share fuel-providing
responsibility with
carbohydrates, but not normally
used to fuel brain & central
nervous system
• Other energy sources (proteins &
alcohol) offer no advantage as
fuel
 Monosaccharides
• Glucose
– Most cells rely on glucose for fuel
– Brain & nervous system rely on it
almost exclusively
– Body maintains blood levels of glucose
within limits that allow for cell
nourishment
Insulin moves glucose
from blood into cells
Glucagon brings
glucose out of storage
 Monosaccharides
• Fructose
– Sweetest of sugars
– Naturally occurring in fruits, honey & saps
– Along with glucose, the most common
monosaccarides in nature
• Galactose
– Primarily occurs as part of lactose
– Known as “milk sugar”
– Freed from lactose as single sugar during
digestion
 Disaccharides
• Pairs of single sugars linked to form
disaccharides
• All disaccharides have glucose as one of
the single sugars, combined with a second
• Enzymes split disaccharides into the two
monosaccharides during digestion
• Important dietary disaccharides include
sucrose, lactose & maltose
 Disaccharides
• Sucrose (white or table sugar)
– Composed of glucose & fructose
– Refined from juice of sugar beets or sugarcane
– Occurs naturally in many fruits & vegetables
• Lactose
– Composed of glucose & galactose
– Principle carbohydrate in milk
Lactose intolerance
•Inability to digest lactose
•Occurs in some people after
infancy
 Disaccharides
• Maltose (malt sugar)
– Consists of two glucose units
– Produced during breakdown of starch
• Plants break down stored starch for energy
& start to sprout
• Occurs in humans during carbohydrate
digestion
 Polysaccharides
• Composed almost entirely of glucose (in
some cases, also other monosaccharides)
• Major polysaccharides in nutrition: starch,
glycogen & fiber
• Glycogen: storage form of energy for
humans & animals
• Starch: storage form of glucose in plants
• Fibers: provide structure in stems, trunks,
roots, leaves & skins of plants
 Polysaccharides
• Starch
– Giant chains of hundreds of glucose units
– All starchy foods are plants
• Grains—richest source of starch
• Legumes
• Root vegetables (tubers)
– Grains, legumes & tubers also abundant dietary supply
of fiber, protein & other nutrients
• Glycogen
– Composed of highly branched chains of glucose units
– Storage form of glucose
• Stored in liver & muscles
• Found in limited amounts in meats; not found in plant
sources
 FIBERS
• Fibers • Soluble fibers
– Consists of – Dissolve in water
polysaccharides, found – Form gels which are
in all plant-derived easily digested by
foods bacteria in large
– Provide little or no intestine
energy for body (bonds – Associated with lower
cannot be broken by risks of chronic diseases
human digestive
enzymes) • Insoluble fibers
– Bacterial digestion does – Do not dissolve in water
yield some energy with – Retain structure &
metabolism (1.5-2.5 texture
kcalories per gram) – Aid digestive system by
easing elimination
 Health Effects & Recommended
Intakes of Sugars
• Fiber-rich carbohydrates should predominate in
the diet
– Concentrated sweets & foods with added sugars
contribute kcalories but few nutrients
– World-wide trend in increasing sugar consumption
• Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005: concentrated
sweets & added sugars should be treated as
discretionary kcalories
• World Health Organization: no more than 10% of
total kcalories from added sugars
– Conclusions (from FDA):
• Moderate amounts of sugars pose no major health
risk
• Excesses contribute to nutrient deficiencies & tooth
decay
 Health Effects & Recommended Intakes of
Sugars
• Sugar & nutrient
deficiencies
– Empty-kcalorie foods
(containing added sugar)
deliver glucose & energy,
but few other nutrients
– In comparison, foods with
natural sugars, starch &
fibers that deliver protein,
vitamins, minerals, as well
as glucose & energy
– Sugar contributes to
nutrient deficiencies by
displacing other nutrients
– Nutritious foods should
come first in diet
• Sugar & dental caries
– Sugars & starches both support
bacterial development in
mouth—contributing to dental
caries
– Populations with intake of
<10% kcalories from sugar
have low incidence of caries
– Factors contributing to
development of caries:
• Length of time food spends in
mouth
• Composition of food
• How sticky food is
• How often person eats the food
• Whether or not teeth are
brushed following consumption
 Sugars & Controversy
• Obesity
– Evidence shows supportive role of sugar and
incidence of obesity, but no direct cause-and-
effect relationship
• Usually, increased sugar intake also associated with
greater consumption of kcalories, processed foods,
meats & fats
• Weight gain usually associated with decline in
physical activity
• Increased intake of food energy & sugar-sweetened
beverages
• Contribution of sugar to excessive energy intake has
had role in development of obesity
 Sugars & Controversy
• Behavior
– No proof that sugar causes hyperactive
or aggressive behavior
– Relationship of sugar to behavior
problems in children may be due to
replacement of nutrient-dense foods
with sugary foods
– Lack of nutrients, not sugar itself, can
contribute to undesirable behavior in
children
 Recommended Sugar
Intakes
▪ 3 tsp for 1,600 kcal (a
day)
• Moderation: enough ▪ 5 tsp for 1,800 kcal
for pleasure but not to ▪ 8 tsp for 2,000 kcal
displace more ▪ 9 tsp for 2,200 kcal
nutritious foods ▪ 12 tsp for 2,400 kcal
– Choose & prepare foods
& beverages with little Some Sugar Equivalents
added sugars (1 tsp white sugar equivalency)
– Used as part of ▪ 1 tsp brown sugar, candy,
discretionary kcalorie jam, syrup
allowance in nutrient- ▪ 1 Tbs ketchup
dense diet ▪ 1 ½ oz carbonated soft
drink
 Health Effects of
Alternative Sweeteners
• Sugar alcohols • Artificial sweeteners
(nutritive sweeteners) (nonnutritive
– Carbohydrates that sweeteners)
yield less energy than – Not carbohydrates;
sucrose yield no energy
– Occur naturally in fruits – Add to sweetness of
– Manufactured to add foods without
sweetness & bulk to promoting tooth decay
cookies, sugarless gum – U.S. approved
& candy, jams & jellies sweeteners
– Side effects of gas, • Saccharin
abdominal discomfort & • Aspartame
diarrhea • Sucralose
– Do not contribute to • Neotame
dental caries • Tagatose
 Health Effects of
Alternative Sweeteners
• Aspartame
– Active ingredient in NutraSweet® & Equal®
– 200 times sweeter than sucrose
– Extensive animal & human studies to document safety:
long-term consumption found safe & not associated with
adverse health effects (exception: not safe for
individuals with PKU)
– Despite safety documentation, consumption should be
maintained below the ADI of 50 milligrams/kg in a day
– Aspartame & PKU
• Aspartame contains the amino acid phenylalanine
• PKU (phenylketonuria): metabolic disorder in which
phenylalanine cannot be disposed of efficiently
 Health Effects of
Alternative Sweeteners
• Artificial sweeteners & weight control
– Used widely to control weight
• Some evidence that consuming artificial sweeteners
has been linked with increased feelings of hunger
• Most studies find to the contrary
– Using sweeteners does not automatically lower
energy intake; to control energy intake, needs
to be combined with informed diet & activity
decisions
 Health Effects of Starch &
Dietary Fibers
• For health, most people should
increase intake of carbohydrate- Daily Recommendations*
rich foods • High-fiber diet, including
• Emphasis on whole grains, – 4 ½ cups of fruits &
vegetables, legumes, fruits— vegetables
usually moderate in food energy, – At least 3 ounces of
low in fat & high in dietary fiber, whole grains
vitamins & minerals
* Based on energy intake of
• Help reduce risks of obesity, 2000 kcal/day
cancer, cardiovascular disease,
diabetes, dental caries, GI
disorders & malnutrition
• Challenge: which carbohydrates
contribute which health benefits
 Disease Prevention &
Recommendations
• Heart disease
– Diets rich in whole grains, legumes &
vegetables (especially whole grains) may
guard against heart disease
– Soluble fibers (oat bran, barley, legumes)
lower blood cholesterol
• Diabetes
– Some fibers delay passage of nutrients from
stomach into small intestine—slowing glucose
absorption
– Glycemic effect: extent to which a food raises
blood glucose concentration & elicits an insulin
response
 Disease Prevention &
Recommendations
• GI health
– Fibers that enlarge & soften stools ease
elimination
• Alleviate or prevent constipation & hemorrhoids
• Maintain movement of contents of intestinal tract
• Maintain health & tone of GI tract muscles;
helping to guard against diverticulosis
• Cancer
– Studies have shown that increasing dietary
fiber protects against colon cancer
 Disease Prevention &
Recommendations
• Weight management
– Fiber-rich foods
• Tend to be low in fats & added sugars, yielding less
energy per bite
• Promote feeling of fullness as they absorb water
• Slow movement through digestive tract, prolonging
satiety
– Recommended sources of fiber in weight-loss
plans
• Fresh fruits
• Vegetables
• Legumes
• Whole-grain foods
 Harmful Effects of
Excessive Fiber Intake
• May bind with minerals, resulting in losses
with excretion
• Individuals with marginal food intake overall
but high-fiber diets may not meet energy or
nutrient needs
– Malnourished, elderly, young children on all-plant
diets especially vulnerable
– Dehydration also a risk
• Excessive fiber intake, as well as limited fluids,
can obstruct GI tract
Carbohydrate Food Sources

• Rice, Corn, Root Crops, Bread and Noodles

1 cup cooked rice = 4 slices of loaf bread

= 5 pcs small pan de sal
= 1 cup of corn
= 2 slices/pieces of puto
= 2 cups of noodles
= 1 cup of yellow kamote
Food Labels & Health Claims
• Labels list
– Amount (in grams) total carbohydrate, including starch,
fiber & sugars, per serving
– Percent of Daily Values expressed for individual
consuming 2000-kcal diet
• Authorized health claims
– Reduced risk of cancer associated with fiber-containing
grain products, fruits & vegetables
– Reduced risk of coronary heart disease associated with
fruits, vegetables & grain products containing fiber
– Reduced risk of coronary heart disease associated with
soluble fiber from whole oats & psyllium seed husk
– Reduced risk of heart disease & certain cancers
associated with whole grains
 Nutrition & Dental Health

• Dental caries: infectious oral disease

developing in tooth enamel
• Bacteria in dental plaque consume &
metabolize carbohydrates, producing
acids that attack tooth enamel
• Other factors influence susceptibility to
dental caries
• Saliva protects against formation of
caries
• Some foods help prevent caries by
stimulating saliva flow & do not
contribute to acid formation in the
mouth
• Addition of fluoride to water supply
 Nutrition & Dental Health
Maximizing protection against dental caries

• Use sugars sparingly; watch for hidden sugars

• Restrict sweets to mealtimes
• Brush & floss after meals or snacks (at least rinse with
water)
• Brush at least twice daily & floss at least once
• Limit time teeth are exposed to sticky foods
• Visit dentist regularly; repair damaged teeth
• Drink fluoridated water
• Eat balanced diet with variety of foods
• Include foods that are rich in calcium & phosphorus
• Eat variety of firm, fibrous foods