Carbohydrates

How many calories are in 1g of carbohydrates?

4kcal

What parts of the body use carbohydrates as their only source of energy?

Brain and nervous system

What is protein sparing?

Carbohydrates being used as the primary energy source ensures that protein can be used for growth and development.

What is fat metabolism?

Carbohydrates are required to fully metabolize fat

What components of body compounds are carbohydrates found in?

Cell membranes, RNA, DNA, mucous

What are carbohydrates made of?

Monosaccharides

What are some examples of monosaccharides?

Glucose, fructose, galactose

What are disaccharides?

Carbohydrates that contain two monosaccharides

What are some examples of disaccharides?

Maltose, sucrose, lactose

What are oligosaccharides?

Carbohydrates that contain 3-10 carbons/3-10 monosaccharides

Where are oligosaccharides found?

Beans, peas, bran, whole grains

Why doesn't the body digest oligosaccharides well?

Due to the number of carbons

What are polysaccharides?

Many monosaccharides/carbon groups

What is the animal form of a polysaccharide?

Glycogen

What is the plant form of a polysaccharide?

Starch

What are some examples of polysaccharides?

Starch, glycogen, cellulose

What are simple carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides and disaccharides

What are complex carbohydrates?

Oligosaccharides and polysaccharides

What are refined carbohydrates?

Have been processed to become simpler forms of carbohydrates. eg. white flour

What are unrefined carbohydrates?

Whole grains, unproccessed

What are carbohydrates converted into once digested?

Monosaccharides (specifically glucose)

What is lactose intolerance?

Absence of a lactase enzyme to digest lactose well

How much lactose can most people tolerate?

6g (1/2 cup)

How much of CHO/glucose goes to energy?

50% or more

How much of CHO/glucose goes to blood glucose, liver, and muscle glycogen stores?

10%

How much glycogen can we store?

300g (enough only for a few hours)

carbohydrate metabolism

the breakdown of carbohydrate molecules to produce energy

3 series of chemical reactions take place. glycolysis, citric acid cycle, electron transport system.

Where does excess CHO/glycogen go?

Converted into triglycerides and stored as fat

What is insulin?

The active hormone when blood glucose is high.

How does insulin work?

Moves glucose into cells and decreases blood glucose, provides energy to cells

What is glucagon?

The active hormone when blood glucose is low

How does glucagon work?

Stimulates breakdown of stored liver glycogen to release glucose into the blood

• Works with epinephrine in stress response

• "glucose all gone"

• Remember discussion about "the happy zone"

How do blood glucose levels impact weight control, mood, and concentration?

Spikes in blood glucose can cause the crave/crash cycle, resulting in mood swings, irritability, lethargy, confusion, etc.

ketone production

liver converts acetyl CoA molecules to ketones

• Occurs in hepatic mitochondria

• Results from over production of acetyl CoA formed during beta oxidation

GLP-1

• Glucagon like peptide 1- Secreted from the small intestine after a meal

• a hormone which stimulates satiety and released in lower GI tract; thus refined/processed CHO absorbed in upper GI does not stimulate GLP-1

• increases insulin secretion

• inhibits glucagon secretion

• signals satiety in the CNS

• delays gastric emptying

What happens when we don't have enough CHO?

We undergo gluconeogenesis

What is gluconeogenesis?

When there is not enough CHO intake, the body breaks down protein to make CHO

Define enriched

Nutrients are added back into food that were lost in processing; usually in that food to begin with. eg. bread

Define fortified

Adding nutrients that are not naturally present in the food eg. vitamin D and A in milk, iron in breakfast cereals

type 2 diabetes

Type II diabetes is an illness related to failed or impaired BG regulation; eg. cells don't respond to insulin

What are the pros and cons of following a lower CHO diet?

Pro:
Con:

What does the WHO as a % intake of total calories being carbohydrates?

45-65%

What is the minimum amount of CHO required for the brain?

130g

What is the minimum amount of CHO required for a healthy and balanced diet?

~300g

How much fibre should females consume daily?

25g

How much fibre should males consume daily?

38g

What food categories do we get carbohydrates from?

Grains, fruits, veggies, beans, lentils

How much CHOs should we get from sugar?

Food choice for healthier CHOs

• choose food in most natural state; as least processed as possible

• nutrition messaging ~ use full word "carbohydrates" vs carbs is encouraged

• focus on foods to ADD vs eliminate

• switching foods; eg.think of the pkg eg. apple vs apple fritter

What is fiber?

Plant wall substances such as cellulose, lignin, and pectin, which are resistant to the action of digestive enzymes yet has many health benefits

What are the two types of fibre?

Insoluble and soluble (most foods have both types)

What is soluble fibre?

Mixes with cholesterol-containing bile during digestion of fats and other nutrients.

Is excreted alongside cholesterol-containing bile, and less cholesterol is absorbed back into the blood and gall bladder.

Soluble fibre also best promotes healthier gut biome/metabolites

Viscous and gummy; helps control BGL and diabetes; helps decrease blood cholesterol

Where is soluble fibre found?

Found in oats, citrus fruits, beans, psyllium.

What is the major health benefit of soluble fibre?

Best promotes healthier gut biome/metabolites

What are the sources of insoluble fibre?

Wheat, whole grains, fruit and vegetables

What does insoluble fibre do?

Plays a key role in weight reduction, decreases dietary thermogenesis, makes you feel full, decreases calorie absorption
Can't be broken down, holds water, pushes food through GI tract, cleanses colon

What does eating more fibre do for health?

Decreases risk of disease, better gut biome

Intact fibre

Comes naturally from your whole foods. Size and structure of particles is key to health benefits

What is isolated fibre?

Used in supplements and does not have all the health benefits. eg. does not have the cholesterol lowering effect.
Added to yogurt, juice, drinks, desserts

What is inulin?

A type of prebiotic added to stevia and other foods to aid digestion

What are some ways of increasing fibre in the diet?

Choose foods in their most natural state, fresh fruit and veg, add beans, nuts, seeds, grains to recipes, switch to whole grain flours and breads

What does increasing water intake do to fibre levels?

We need to drink more water to avoid dehydration

What are some problems of having too much fibre?

Constipation, gas, bloating, decreased nutrient absorption, diarrhea.

What are the components of a whole grain?

Bran, endosperm, germ

Chron's disease

chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract

Diverticulitis

inflammation of the diverticula

Leaky gut syndrome

Proposed condition some health practitioners claim is the cause of a wide range of serious long-term conditions, including diabetes, lupus, and multiple sclerosis.

What is glycemic index?

Measures how fast and how much blood glucose level rises.

Who is the glycemic index useful for and why?

Athletes, diabetics, those concerned about weight control and heart disease, research in fetal development, gut biome implications

What is used as the reference food for 100% glycemic index?

50g glucose or white bread

What foods have low glycemic index?

Foods with more protein, fat, complex carbohydrates and fibre

What is the glycemic load equation?

(GI value x CHO per serving) / 100

What levels of glycemic index should be chosen when making healthy food choices?

Low levels

Which sugars might have a slight health advantage?

Brown sugar, honey

What diseases are related to sugar?

diabetes, obesity, dental cavities, poor mood, poor gut microbiome, hyperactivity, heart disease, glucose intolerance

How is sugar made?

Mechanical processing

What are examples of nutritive sugar substitutes?

Sorbitol, mannitol,

What are examples of non-nutritive sugar substitutes?

Aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia

What are the risks and benefits of aspartame?

Many reports of reactions to it, made of two amino acids, cannot be heated, may have gut biome implications, can easily become toxic in the blood.

What are the risks and benefits of sucralose?

Heat stable, passes through the body, contains chlorine

What are the risks and benefits of stevia?

Approved for use in health food products, need very little of it and therefore no calories

What is the impact of sugar on blood glucose level?

Spikes blood glucose

What is celiac disease?

An autoimmune disease with a heightened immune response to the protein in wheat. Renders the villi in the intestines non-functional. Foods do not digest and absorb.

What are the signs of celiac disease?

Gas, cramping, bloating, illness after consumption of gluten

What is the treatment for celiac disease?

Gluten free diet

What are examples of gluten free grains?

Oats, amaranth, quinoa, rice, buckwheat, corn, millet, sorghum

What is a low FODMAP diet?

Fermentable, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, mono-saccharides and polyols) Often used to manage GI disorders.