Carbohydrates

Objectives:
• Identify the functions of carbohydrates
• Name the primary sources of carbohydrates
• Describe the classifications of carbohydrates
Carbohydrates- are considered energy foods that can be rapidly
oxidized by the body to release energy and its by-product, heat .
• Carbohydrates, fats and proteins provide energy for the human body, but
carbohydrates are the primary source.
• Foods rich in carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, and grains
grow easily in most climates.
• CHO provide the major source of energy for people all over the world. They
provide approximately half the calories foe people living in the United States.
In some areas of the worlds, where fats and proteins are scarce and expensive,
CHO provide as much as 80%-100% of calories.
• CHO are named for the chemical elements they are composed of- carbon (C ),
hydrogen (H), AND Oxygen (O).
 FUNCTIONS:
• Providing energy- Each gram of carbohydrate provides 4 calories. The body needs to
maintain a constant supply of nergy. Therefore, it stores approximately half a
day’supply of CHO in the liver and muscles for use as needed. In this form, it is called
glycogen.
• Protein-sparing action- is also an important function of carbohydrates. When
enough CHO (atleast 50-100 g/day) are ingested to supply a person’s energy needs.
Thet spare proteins for their primary function of building and repairing body tissues.
• Normal fat metabolism- requires an adequate supply of CHO. If there are not
enough CHO to fulfill the energy requirement, the body will resort to an alternative
method to fuel itself. Excess fat is broken down in order to provide a source of
glucose. During such an emergency need for energy, fat oxidation in the cells is not
complete and substances called ketones are produced.
• Ketones- are acids that accumulate in the blood and urine and ketosis results.
-substances tom which fatty acids are broken down in the liver.
• Ketosis- condition in which ketones collect in the blood.; caused by insufficient
glucose available for energy.
Individuals with sound health who are not pregnant, ketosis occurs after three to
four days of eating less than 50 gram of CHO. With ketosis, you feel less hungry;
therefore, some adopt the low CHO eating plan as a popular weight loss strategy.
• Ketoacidosis, however, is a serious condition whereby the levels of ketones
reach an abnormally high level; thus usually happens to diabetic patients when
they don’t take enough insulin or become ill or dehydrated.
When sufficient CHO are eaten, the body is protected against ketones.
This is sometimes called the antiketogenic effect of CHO.
• Providing fiber in the diet- is another important function of CHO.
Dieatry fiber is found in grains, vegetables and fruits. Fiber creates a
soft, bulky stool that moves quickly through the large intestine.
FOOD SOURCES
Principal sources of CHO are plant foods:
• Cereal grains
• Legumes (starchy beans)
• Vegetables
• Fruits and sugars
• The only substantial animal source of CHO is MILK
• Cereal grains and their products are dietary staples in nearly every
part of the world.
-Rice is the basic food in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and many sections
of the United States.
-Wheat and, increasingly, corn are used in various foods such as bread,
cereal, pasta, snack foods common to American and European diets.
-Rye and Oats are commonly used in breads and cereals in the United
States and Europe.
-Cereals also contain vitamins, minerals, and some proteins.
• Vegetables such as potatoes, beets peas, starchy beans such as lima beans,
and corn provide substantial amounts of CHO in the form of starch.
- Green leafy vegetables provide dietary fiber. All of them also provide vitamins
and minerals.
• Fruits provide fruit sugar, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
• Sugars such as table sugar, syrup and honey and sugar rich-foods such as
desserts and candy provide CHO in the form of sugar with few other nutrients
except for fats. Therefore, the foods in which they predominate are commonly
called low- nutrient-dense foods.
Classifications of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are divided into three

groups:
•Monosaccharides
•Disaccharides
•Polysaccharides
Monosaccharides
-are the simplest form of carbohydrates. They are sweet, require no
digestion, and can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the
small intestine. They include glucose, fructose, and galactose

.Glucose is called dextrose, is the form of carbohydrate to which all

other forms are converted for eventual metabolism. It is found
naturally in corn syrup and some fruits and vegetables. The central
nervous system, the red blood cells, and the brain use only glucose as
fuel; therefore, a continuous source is needed.
• Fructose also called levulose or fruit sugar, is found with glucose in
many fruits and honey. It is the sweetest of all the monosaccharides.

• Galactose is a product of the digestion of milk. It is not found

naturally.
Disaccharides
-are pairs of the three sugars just discussed. They are sweet and must
be changed to simple sugars by hydrolysis before they can be absorbed.
Disaccharides include sucrose, maltose and lactose.
- double sugar examples are granulated, powdered and brown sugar.
• Sucrose is composed of glucose and fructose. It is the form of CHO
present in granulated, powdered, and brown sugar and in molasses. It is
one of the sweetest and least expensive sugars. Its sources are sugar
cane, sugar beets and the sap from maple trees.

• Maltose is a disaccharide that is an intermediary product in the hydrolysis

of starch. It is produced by enzyme action during the digestion of starch in
the body. It is also created during the fermentation process that produces
alcohol. It can be found in some infant formulas, malt beverage
products, and beer. It is considerably less sweet than glucose or sucrose.
• Lactose is the sugar found in milk. It is distinct from most other sugars
because it is not found in plants. It helps the body absorb calcium.
• Lactose is less sweet than monosaccharides or other disaccharides.