CARBOHYDRATE

What are Carbohydrates? Carbohydrates, pronounced (car-bo-hi-drayts) are sugars that provide the body with energy. Composed of organic compounds like carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. These are the main sources of energy, hence called “energy giving food”. Example-Sugars, candy, sweets, ice cream, sodas, milk, rice, grains, breads, cereals, chips, cakes, cookies, biscuits, pizza, pasta, fruit, and vegetables The oxidation of carbohydrates during respiration yields energy which is stored in ATP and utilized whenever needed. One gram of carbohydrate yields about 4.1 kcal of energy when oxidized in the body tissues, this is called Calorific value of carbohydrate.

Sources of carbohydrates Carbohydrate we take are in the form of Sugars, and starches . Except (milk ,sugar) all other sugars are derived from the plants. Their major sources are gum, sugar honey fig, grapes, sugarcane resins, sweets, and fruits etc. Starches are mainly stored in stem, roots and seeds of green plants. These are found in the cereals –wheat, maize, barley, rice, etc. potato (stem),sweet potato and beets(roots). Glycogen is the animal starch present in muscles and liver.

Classification of Carbohydrates Depending on the chemical structure of the food, and how quickly the sugar is digested and absorbed, carbohydrates are classified as sugars ,and starches. Sugars are simple carbohydrates that can be easily digested by our body and include foods like cake, soda, candy, jellies and fruits. Starches are complex carbohydrates that take longer to be digested and include foods such as breads, grains, pasta, tortillas, noodles, fruits and vegetables.

Functions of Carbohydrates 1. Source of energy The main function of carbohydrates is to provide our body with energy in the form of glucose. Carbohydrates usually provide about half of our body's energy when we are resting or performing a low-level activity. Carbohydrate are most suitable for energy because these have relatively more oxygen and consequently requires less oxygen during oxidation. 2. Reserve food materials Carbohydrate are stored as glycogen in animals and starch in plants. Excess of glucose are converted to fat (lipogenesis) for storage. 3. Formation of cell organelles and cell compounds Pentose sugar are the components of RNA, DNA,ATP and NAD, etc

4. Complex Carbohydrates (Fiber) Benefits Digestion The indigestibility of fiber makes it a very healthy addition to our daily diet. Insoluble fiber (eg. cellulose, a few hemicelluloses and lignin in plants and whole grains) benefits digestion by stimulating peristalsis - the muscle movements that propel food along the colon. 5. Helps Muscle Tissue The availability of carbohydrate energy prevents the body from breaking down muscle tissue for fuel. When our body needs energy it first looks for glucose from carbohydrates. If insufficient carb glucose is available from food (eg. because your diet is very low carb, or because you have metabolic disorders preventing normal use of available glucose), the body helps itself to glucose stored as glycogen in fatty tissue. If more energy is needed, the body then burns protein tissue in the muscles.

6. Formation of amino acids Some amino acids can be synthesized in the body from intermediate products of carbohydrate metabolism. 7. Complex Carbohydrate Benefits Blood Sugar Levels Sometimes, eating too many high carbs (the ones that are very quickly broken down into glucose in the stomach) can trigger a very rapid rise in blood sugar. This "sugar-spike" can cause food cravings, appetite swings and, over time, impaired glucose tolerance or insulin insensitivity. However, the presence of dietary fiber in the digestive tract can help to slow down this conversion of carbs to glucose. As a result Blood sugar levels rise at a more normal speed thus avoiding the above health problems.

Side Effects of carbohydrate in diet Average 55.75% of total food calories are obtained from the carbohydrate. A normal person needs about 500gm of carbohydrate daily. Shortage of carbohydrate in the daily food leads to reduction of weight- malnutrition, and loss of working efficiency- lack of calories Getting too many carbohydrates can lead to an increase in total calories, causing Obesity- When a person consumes more calories than the body is using, a portion of the carbohydrates consumed may also be stored in the body as fat. In absence of carbohydrate, proteins are used for liberating excess of carbohydrate in food causing obesity which may lead to high blood pressure.

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