Carbohydrates The bodies preferred source of energy Make up 60% of our daily foods Most come from plants Glucose, maltose, fructose, sucrose Some come from other sources Lactose

Role of Carbohydrates Carbohydrates play two roles: 1) Energy for automatic activity Provide 4 calories/gram 2) Plays vital role in assimilation and oxidation of fat and protein Any glucose not needed is stored as glycogen Glycogen is the source of energy most often used for exercise It is immediately available, and is used at the beginning of exercise

Role of Carbs in Exercise Carb loading: 1)1 week before the race, decrease your carb intake to 50% of your caloric intake 2)3-4 days before the race, increase carb intake to 70%

Simple Carbohydrates Simple Carbohydrates : Quick energy sources, do not provide any other nutrients or fibre Sugars

Complex Carbohydrates Often supply energy and other nutrients and fibre Starch : breaks down to simple sugar in the body Supplies to body with long, sustained energy

Complex Carbohydrates Starch count’d ALL starchy foods are plants Seeds are the richest source (70%) Other sources include beans (40%)

Fibre Also found in complex carbohydrates Fibre : non-digestible, regulates the body Fibre is the only form of carbohydrate that does not provide energy to the body Insoluble Fibre : will not dissolve in water Contributes to bulk and helps move food through the large intestine Helps lower your risk of colon cancer

Soluble Fibre Soluble Fibre : fibre that’s dissolved in water Increases the thickness of stomach contents, can help lower blood cholesterol levels Found in plants, fruits, vegetables

Reading Food Labels How to calculate carbohydrates from a food label 1) Sugars and fibre can simply be read from the label Calculate net carbohydrates (the amount of carbohydrates available for energy) Total carbohydrate- Fibre Calculate starch: Net carbs - sugar

Do we get enough fibre? Most Canadians only get about half the recommended daily amount of fibre 25 grams a day for women 38 grams a day for men

Breakfast Choose a cereal with at least 4g of fibre per serving Add a couple of tablespoons of bran Add fresh or frozen berries to cereal.

Snack Sprinkle granola or other high fibre food on apple sauce, yogurt, casseroles, or baked goods Nibble on trail mix or nuts

Lunch Spread hummus instead of mayo on sandwiches Barley, lentil, or split pea soup Add shredded carrots to any sandwich Choose whole grain breads

Dinner Leave skins on potatoes Have salad with your meal. Make it with romaine lettuce Add cooked lentils or peas to pasta sauce Use whole wheat pasta or brown rice Use seeds or nuts in cooking

Too much sugar? According to the new Statscan report, which used data from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, one in every five calories that Canadians consume comes from sugar. The World Health Organization recommends that no more than 10% of our total calories come from added or refined sugar

Think about it? Which carbohydrates are better, simple or complex? Which do we tend to eat more of?