Carbohydrates Macro Nutrient Carbohydrates made by plants in PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Energy from sun turns water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates (CHO) which they store in their roots, stems, fruit and leaves. Plants most important source of CHO. There are two different types of carbohydrate: Sugar Complex carbohydrates.

Sugar There are two types of sugar Monosaccharides – or simple sugars. Fructose (fruits, honey, plant juices), Glucose (Vegetables, fruits, cooking sugar), Galactose (milk). Disaccharides - or double sugars. Sucrose (sugar cane and beet, some fruits and vegetables, Lactose (milk, i.e. yogurts), Maltose (cereals, malted milk) Hidden sugars (sucrose) occur in processed food such as baked beans, tomato sauce, canned fruit etc. A word ending in ose indicates the presence of sugar. Gives quick bursts of energy.

Complex Carbohydrates Made up of long chains of glucose molecules called polysaccharides (‘many sugars’). There are 5 major groups. Starch – main plant store, breaks down during digestion into glucose (root vegetables, potatoes, yams, plantains, bananas, rice, wheat, oats, lentils, beans and seeds. Fibre or NSP (non starch polysaccharides) – cellulose and gums, can’t be digested by the body, helps body get rid of solid waste products (wholegrains, brown rice, seeds, beans, lentils, fruits and vegetables. Pectin – makes a gel, can’t be digested, helps body get rid of solid waste products (fruits, plums, damsons, apples) Dextrin – forms during baking and toasting of starchy products – makes crusts brown! Breaks down to glucose (toast, crusts of cakes, bread, pastries) Glycogen – forms in the body in the liver from digestion of CHOs, stored in the liver. Starches are converted into energy more slowly; they need to be broken down to sugars during digestion before they can be used. They give long lasting sustained energy.

What do Carbohydrates do? Provide the body with energy. Should eat 5 portions a day and at every meal. Starchy foods contain a variety of vitamins and minerals; they are relatively cheap to buy; they fill you up.

More about Carbohydrates Too much CHO? –is stored in the body as fat in the adipose tissue. Too little CHO? –Body begins to use fat from our body stores and we loose weight. –Body then uses protein for energy. Athletes –Need the GLYCOGEN that we store in the liver. Load body with CHO before the event so liver full of glycogen. If insufficient glycogen then muscles run out of energy - ‘hit the wall’.