Carbohydrates: The Essential Energy Source for Your Body

1. Carbohydrates The Preferred Body Fuel

2. Carbohydrates • 1 of 6 essential nutrients • Main source of the body’s energy • Sugars, starches, and fibers • Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen • 4 calories of energy per gram • Basic sugar unit – saccharide

3. Monosaccharides – Simple Carb • Single sugar unit (aka “simple sugars”) • Smallest carbohydrate unit • Glucose – blood sugar – body’s source of energy • Fructose – found in fruit • Galactose – found in milk bonded to glucose

4. Disaccharides – Simple Carb • 2 sugar units bonded together • Broken down to monosaccharides during digestion • Sucrose – table sugar (glucose + fructose) • Lactose – milk sugar (glucose + galactose) • Maltose – starch digestion and grains (glucose + glucose)

5. Polysaccharides – Complex Carbs • Many sugar units bonded together • Broken down to monosaccharides during digestion • Starch – grains and starchy veggies • Fiber – plant walls *Carbs In Action

6. Functions of Carbs • Provide energy • Spare proteins • Assist in breakdown of fat • Provide bulk in diet

7. Energy Production • Carbohydrates are used most efficiently in the body for energy, so they are the preferred source of energy • If carb intake is insufficient, the body will draw on proteins for energy

8. Protein Sparing • Body can draw on proteins for energy, but it is less efficient when it does this • Proteins are harder to break down, taking more energy • The break down of proteins creates more waste • By using carbohydrates, the body leaves proteins for building and maintaining cell structures

9. Breaks Down Fats • Helps to completely break down fats • Without it the body can’t break down fats completely, which leads to ketosis (an increase in blood acidity, which causes cell and organ damage)

10. Provides Bulk in Diet • Bulk in your diet makes digestion and elimination more effective • Fiber acts like a sponge and absorbs excess water and toxins, making elimination easier • Bulk in your diet makes you feel fuller longer

11. Added Benefits of Fiber • Reduces incidence of G.I. diseases, such as colon cancer, as well as appendicitis, heart disease, and diabetes mellitus • Soluble fibers – dissolve in water and help to lower blood cholesterol levels (bile is involved) • Insoluble fibers – do not dissolve in water and help to reduce cancer risks (less time for toxin exposure) *Illustrate functions

12. How Your Body Uses Carbs • Broken down in digestive tract to monosaccharides • Monosaccharides pass through the intestine into the bloodstream and on to the liver, where sucrose and galactose are converted to glucose • When the amount of glucose in the blood rises, the body releases insulin from the pancreas

13. Insulin • Insulin helps trigger body cells to burn glucose for energy, thereby reducing the amount of glucose in the body (reducing blood sugar levels) • Insulin also causes muscles and the liver to store glucose not used as energy

14. Glycogen • Glycogen is the body’s storage form of glucose • If cells do not have an immediate need for the glucose they took from the bloodstream, they convert it to glycogen to be used later • Glycogen is stored in the muscles (2/3) and in the liver (1/3) • Glycogen in the muscles is converted back into glucose when energy is needed

15. Liver Storage of Glycogen • The liver only stores a limited supply of glycogen • If more carbs are eaten than the liver can convert to glycogen and store, the excess is converted to fat and stored in fatty tissue in the body • Fat stored cannot be converted back into glucose • *Using Carbs

16. Meeting Carbohydrate Needs • Make sure to get a limited amount of simple carbs and a higher amount of complex carbs • Naturally occurring sugars are usually accompanied by other nutrients so they are not as much of a concern • Refined sugars are a concern • Carbohydrate sweeteners that are separated from their natural sources and used as food additives

17. “Bad” Carbohydrates • Guess what the primary source of sugar is for teenagers? • Candy, pastries, and other sweets round out the typical teenage diet • Hidden sources include sugary cereals, yogurt, and fruit drinks

18. Fruit or Not? • - 5% fruit juice • - 0% fruit juice (42 sugar cubes) • - 3% fruit juice • - 25% fruit juice • - 15% fruit juice

19. Not So Much! • - 5% fruit juice • - 0% fruit juice (42 sugar cubes) • - 3% fruit juice • - 25% fruit juice • - 15% fruit juice

20. Starches & Fiber • Starches - the preferred fuel source for your body • Body burns starches efficiently, they make you feel full (satiated), and they carry many other vitamins and minerals • Fiber – gotten through whole-grain foods, vegetables, fruits, and dried beans • Increasing fiber in a diet should be done slowly to allow your digestive system to adapt • *Meeting Carb Needs

21. Are Starchy Foods Fattening? • Anything in excess can cause weight gain • Starchy foods are usually not the fattening culprit…it is usually the sauces and toppings served with them that adds the pounds

22. Is Sugar Bad for Your Teeth? • Sugar and starched feed the bacteria that live in the mouth; the byproduct of that is plaque, which sticks to the teeth • As the bacteria grow, they produce acid that eats into tooth enamel and causes cavities • Best to avoid sticky carb snacks between meals (e.g. raisins) and to always brush after eating anything

23. Does Sugar Cause Hyperactivity? • No studies have proven that this is true • Sugars do give you immediate energy, which can seem like hyperactivity when a lot is taken in • The bigger danger here is that kids who take in lots of sugar are missing out on necessary nutrients found in healthier foods

24. Is Sugar Addictive? • Studies show that people prefer sweet tastes • No studies show that there is an addictive component to sugar though…it is more of a preference than an addiction

25. Will Too Much Sugar Cause Diabetes? • Short answer – no • Underproduction of insulin, not a case of too much sugar • Long answer – too much sugar can exacerbate symptoms and condition, but will not cause diabetes to develop in the first place • *Carb Headlines

26. What is Hypoglycemia? • Low blood glucose level • Makes you feel tired and sluggish • Over production of insulin • Spread sugar out over the day to avoid a sudden sharp spike in blood sugar and insulin

27. What is Lactose Intolerance? • An inability to digest lactose, which is found in milk • Due to absence of lactase, which is the enzyme that breaks down lactose • Have to find other options for getting the milk you need • Alternate ways to get dairy