Carbohydrates

Which carbohydrates are described as simple and which are complex?

Simple carbohydrates: contains one or two molecules, commonly referred to as sugars, monosaccharides contain only one molecule; glucose, fructose, and galactose. Complex carbohydrates: long chains of glucose molecules, commonly called polysaccharides, hundreds to thousands of molecules long, the storage forms of glucose, digestible is starch and glycogen, and indigestible are most fibers.

What are the health effects of starches and fibers? What are the dietary recommendations regarding these complex carbohydrates?

The health effects of starches and fibers are lowering hearth disease, reduce the risk for diabetes, strengthen the G.I. health of your large intestines, help to protect against cancer colon cancer, encourages weight management. The harmful effects of too much fiber intake if a person who has a small capacity eats fiber rich foods it might cause that person to be too full and causes malnourishment. The dietary recommendations are to choose foods that provide more dietary fiber such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

Describe the structure of polysaccharides are name the ones important in nutrition.

They are composed of many monosaccharides strung together. The important ones in nutrition are: glycogen, starch and fibers.

What is the protein-sparing action of carbohydrates

Glucose can be used for energy leaving protein available for its special functions.

Glycogen

Glycogen is very similar in structure to starch but has a shorter chains and is more highly branched. It is the major carbohydrates storage product of animals. And animals it is stored as many small granules mainly in the muscle and liver. It's structure suits it for storage for same reason as those given for starch. However, because it is made up of smaller chains, it is even more readily hydrolyses to the alpha glucose. Glycogen is found in animal cells but never in plant cells.

What are the possible fates of glucose in the body?

It can be stored as glycogen It can be used for energy It can be converted to fat

What are the health effects of sugars? What are the dietary recommendations regarding concentrated sugar intakes?

The health effects of sugars are contributing to nutrient deficiencies by supplying energy without nutrients, and tooth decay. The dietary recommendation for a concentrated sugar intake for Americans is to reduce the intake of kcalories from added sugars. Reduce the intake of foods and drinks with added sugar.

How are starch and glycogen similar? How do they differ?

They are similar in structure but glycogen has a shorter chains and has more highly branched than starch.

What foods provide starches and fibers?

whole-grain bread, crackers, etc., green veggies beans, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, peas, kale, fresh or dried fruits apples, banana, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries, and legumes-cooked baked beans, pinto beans, Lima beans, split peas.

How does the body maintain blood glucose concentration? What happens when it rises too high or falls too low?

Hormones are secreted in response to fluctuations and blood glucose. When it rises too high, The pancreas releases insulin resulting in the storage of glucose in the cells. When blood glucose is too low the pancreas releases Glucagon, resulting in the release of glucose into the blood.

Describe carbohydrate digestion and absorption. What role does fiber play in the process?

Salivary amylase enzymes in the mouth partially break down some of the starch before it reaches the intestine, pancreatic enzymes digest the starch to disaccharides and small intestine, disaccharide enzymes on surface of intestinal wall cells split disaccharides to monosaccharides, monosaccharides enter a capillary, capillary delivers monosaccharides to liver, liver converts the galactose and fructose to glucose. In the mouth, fiber slows the process of eating and stimulates the flow of saliva; in the stomach, the delay gastric emptying; in the small intestine, they delay absorption of carbohydrates and fats, and can bind with minerals; in the large intestine nine, they attract water that softens the stools.

Starch

Starch is a polysaccharide that is found in many parts of a plant in the form of small grains. Especially large amounts of court in the seed and storage organs, such as potato tubers. The form is an important component of food and is the major energy source in most diets. Starch is made up of chains of alpha glucose monosaccharides linked by glycosidic Vons that are formed by condensation reactions. The unbranched chains is one into a tight coil that makes the molecule very compact. The main role of starch is energy storage, something it is especially suited for because: it is insoluble and therefore it does not tend to draw water into the cell by osmosis. Being insoluble, it does not easily diffuse out of cells. It is compact, so a lot can be stored in a small space. When hydrolyses it forms alpha glucose, which is both easily transported and readily used in respiration. Starch is never found in animal cells instead a similar polysaccharide called glycogen serves the same role.