Carbohydrates and lipids

SAS#3

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that provide the major source of energy for the body.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar molecules important in nutrition, including glucose, fructose, and galactose.

Glucose

The main energy source for body cells, especially for the brain and nervous system.

Fructose

The sweetest monosaccharide, found in fruits, honey, and foods containing high-fructose corn syrup.

Galactose

A monosaccharide found mostly as part of lactose, the sugar in milk.

Disaccharides

Sugars composed of two linked monosaccharides, including sucrose, lactose, and maltose.

Sucrose

Table sugar made of glucose and fructose; obtained from sugarcane or sugar beets.

Lactose

Milk sugar composed of glucose and galactose; the main carbohydrate in milk.

Maltose

A sugar composed of two glucose units; formed during the breakdown of starch.

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates made of many glucose units, including glycogen, starch, and dietary fiber.

Glycogen

The stored form of glucose in animals, found mainly in liver and muscles.

Starch

A plant polysaccharide consisting of long chains of glucose; a major dietary source of energy.

Food abundant in Starch

Grains(rice, wheat, root crops), Tubers(yams, potatoes), Legumes(Peas and Beans)

Dietary Fiber

Plant structural polysaccharides that cannot be digested by human enzymes; found in plant derived foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.

Insulin

A hormone secreted by the pancreas that facilitates glucose uptake into cells and promotes glycogen storage.

Glucagon

A hormone released by the pancreas when blood glucose is low; it stimulates glycogen breakdown to release glucose.

Glycogen producers

Muscle tissue and Liver

Glycogen distribution in the body

Muscles = 2/3

Brain = tiny bit, to last for at least an hour or two

Liver = stores the remainder; provides glucose to the brain or other tissue when the supply runs low. However without food replenish can be depleted for less than a day

Lipids

A class of nutrients including triglycerides, phospholipids, and sterols; essential for energy storage, insulation, and cell structure.

Triglycerides

The most common type of dietary and body fat, consisting of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule.

Fatty Acids

Long chains of carbon atoms that are the building blocks of triglycerides and other lipids.

Saturated Fats

Fats solid at room temperature; commonly found in animal products (meat, butter and dairy products) and associated with higher LDL cholesterol levels.

Unsaturated Fats

Fats liquid at room temperature; found in vegetable oils and linked to increased HDL (good cholesterol) levels.

Trans Fatty Acids

Artificial fats produced by hydrogenation; known to increase LDL and decrease HDL cholesterol.

Hydrogenation

the process by which hydrogen atoms are added to unsaturated fats and oils.

Essential Fatty Acids

Fatty acids that must be obtained from food

The two Essential fatty acid

include linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3)

Phospholipids

Lipids that form cell membranes and act as emulsifiers; contain phosphorus (in place of one fatty acid), a choline (another compound) and are found in foods like eggs and soybeans.

Lecithin

A common phospholipid that acts as an emulsifier and structural component of cell membranes.

Sterols

Complex lipids like cholesterol, vitamin D, and certain hormones; found in animal products and plant-based foods.

Food that contains significant amount of sterols

meats, eggs, fish, poultry, and dairy products

Cholesterol

A sterol produced by the body and consumed in animal foods; important for cell membranes but linked to heart disease when in excess.

Lipoproteins

Complexes of lipids and proteins that transport cholesterol and other fats through the bloodstream.

Bile

A digestive fluid made from cholesterol by the liver; aids in fat digestion and is recycled or excreted by the body.

Atherosclerosis

A condition where cholesterol deposits narrow artery walls, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL)

The “good” cholesterol that helps remove LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.

Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

The “bad” cholesterol that contributes to plaque buildup in arteries.

Structure of Sucrose

Glucose + Fructose

Structure of Lactose

Glucose + Galactose

Structure of Maltose

Glucose + Glucose

Carbohydrates

they provide the major source of energy for the body or as much as 80-100% of calorie