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Carbohydrate Basics. What are they?. Biochemical compounds that are constructed in a ratio of 1 carbon: 2 Hydrogens: 1 Oxygen Always maintain this ratio no matter how large they get Provide us with our main source of energy 4KCal of energy per gram of carb
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What are they? • Biochemical compounds that are constructed in a ratio of 1 carbon: 2 Hydrogens: 1 Oxygen • Always maintain this ratio no matter how large they get • Provide us with our main source of energy • 4KCal of energy per gram of carb • Commonly referred to as sugars and starches
Information Continued • If we have excess in our diet we can store it as glycogen or fat • Generally they are in ring structures • Should be between 50-65% of your diet, with 55%-60% being ideal for the average person • Found in abundance in our diets • Difference between simple and complex carbs
What are artificial sugars/sweeteners? • Sugar substitutes that are usually sweeter than natural sugar and non-caloric based • We get small to no energy from them • Not recognizable by the digestive system so we cannot process them
1. Saccharine • 300x sweeter than sugar • Used as a sweetening agent in drinks, cookies, and candies • In the 70’s a questionable study linked its use in high does to cancer in rats, but never has been linked to cancer in humans
2. Aspartame • Combination of aspartic acid and phenylalanine • Non-saccharine based • Usually combined with saccharine in foods to give sweetness • Commonly found in diet pop and sugar free gum • 200x sweeter than sucrose • Can get 4 Kcal of energy from it, but the amount used is so small that it has 0 calorie load associated with its use
2. Aspartame • Cannot remain stable when heated • If you have the disorder PKU, you cannot ingest this safely • No known effects on humans
3. Sucralose • Commonly called “Splenda” • Derived from sucrose • Is heat stable so its used as a sucrose replacement when baking • 600x sweeter than sucrose so a tiny amount can be used when adding it to food • This is why it has 0 caloric impact on our diet
What is fiber? • Non-digestible part of carbs • Come from the starchy parts of plant/grain based foods that are high in cellulose • Higher the grain content of a food, the more fiber it contains • Recommended that men take in 38 grams per day and women 25g • Fiber helps keep us “regular” from a digestive standpoint by cleaning us out • Need lots of fluid in the diet to keep it moving in the digestive system