Carbohydrates
Learning Targets:
1. Describe the function and
sources of carbohydrate.
2. Give tips for selecting
healthful carbs.
I. What is
carbohydrate?
Carbohydrates are nutrients made of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
In fact, their name means
Carbo = carbon
Hydrate = with H2O
Look at the molecule at the right
to see an example. Notice how most carbon
atoms are paired with an oxygen and 2 hydrogens?
The main function of
carbohydrate is to
give you energy.
Although energy can also be supplied by fats
and protein, carbohydrates are more effective.
Carbohydrates are especially the
preferred source of energy for your brain.
People on low carb diets do more poorly
on memory tests than people on more
balanced diets.
The most basic form of
carbohydrate is glucose, which is the
sugar your blood carries throughout
your body to fuel your cells.
All carbohydrates will break down into
sugars during digestion, to provide this
fuel. But how evenly they break down
can affect how effective they are.
Tell your partner:
1.Why are carbohydrates called
that?
2.What is the function of
carbohydrate?
3.How do carbohydrates get
from your food to your cells?
Carbohydrates are classified by
how many sugar units are
hooked together in a molecule.
Simple
Carbohydrates
Are
Sugars
Complex
Carbohydrates
Are
Starches & Fibers
(Up to thousands of glucose units, in branches)
with only one or a few sugar
units in the molecule.
with many sugar units in the
molecule.
Simple carb
(one or a few sugar units in molecule)
Complex carb
(may have tens, hundreds, or thousands of glucose units in molecule)
But whatever their size, both starches
and sugars break down into single
sugar units, to produce the glucose
which provides energy to your body.
Blood vessels
carry the glucose
throughout your
body, so it can be
absorbed into
your cells.
Sugars need little breakdown time and can
enter the bloodstream
too quickly.
But starches take a
while to break down,
so they give you a
more even supply of
energy.
Releasing too much glucose at once
can have a rollercoaster effect on
your blood sugar.
If too much glucose enters the
bloodstream at once, extra
insulin is released to store it.
sugar
spike
(The “saved” energy can lead to weight gain.)
sugar
crash
With large insulin releases,
blood sugar levels dip, and
can leave you feeling
fatigued, stressed, and
hungry.
Discuss with your partner:
1.Why do simple carbohydrates
enter the bloodstream more
quickly than complex
carbohydrates?
2.Why is that not good for you?
Where do carbohydrates
come from?
Plants produce carbohydrates, and
almost all of our carbohydrates come
from plants.
The plant
groups:



Fruits
Vegetables
Grains
all provide
lots of
carbohydrate.
Milk contains a
small amount of
carbohydrate.
The animals in the
Protein Group do
not provide
carbohydrate, but
the plants in that
group provide both
protein and carbs.
In general, animals produce
little or no carbohydrate.
Many foods contain
sugar refined
from sugar cane.
.
This sugar also
provides carbohydrates.
II. What types of
carbohydrate are
in our
diet?
Complex carbohydrates
include starches and fiber.
Most of the starch we eat comes from
grains, starchy vegetables, and beans.
Starches generally provide an even supply
of energy. If your coaches tell you to
“carbo load” they are recommending that
you eat complex carbohydrates that will
fuel you well through out an event.
Refined (or enriched) starches,
such as white flour and white rice
do NOT provide the even supply of
energy that whole grains do. They
are also missing many nutrients.
Fibers are also complex
carbohydrates.
Fiber does
not provide
energy
because we
can not
completely
digest it.
But it does serve important functions:
1. It helps us feel full
without adding calories.
2. It helps keep our arteries healthy.
3. It helps keep our digestive
tract healthy.
Fiber comes from
indegestble PLANT
cell walls. You will
not get fiber from
animals.
Food sources of fiber include whole
grains (especially the bran) fruits,
vegetables and beans.
Most any whole food from
plants will provide fiber.
But sometimes we remove
the fiber.
If you eat enriched grain,
instead of whole grain, you
do not get the fiber.
If you drink juice, instead of
eating a piece of fruit, you
do not get the fiber.
On your
Nutrition Facts
label, fiber
will be
listed as
Dietary Fiber.
Americans need about twice as
much fiber as we eat. Try to
increase your daily fiber by
eating more unprocessed
plant foods. USDA
recommends these amounts:
Tell your partner:
1.Where does fiber come
from?
2.What are 3 reasons fiber
is helpful?
Simple
carbohydrates
are sugars.
Sugars are smaller molecules
which can reach the
bloodstream more quickly.
Fruits and some vegetables
contain sugar.
But the sugar in
these natural,
whole
foods is
also tied
to fiber and
vitamins. They are
a healthy choice.
Notice that juices and dried fruit have
much higher concentrations of sugar
than fresh fruits..
Refined sugars have no
nutritional benefits.
Many foods have refined sugar
added to them. The sugar provides
nothing but glucose and calories.
Limit foods with added sugars.
Check the
Nutrition Facts
to see just how
much sugar
you are getting
from foods.
Although added sugar
provides no helpful
nutrients, it
contributes to cavities,
and provides
extra calories
that can lead
to weight
gain.
When
looking
at food
labels
1 gram sugar = ¼ teaspoon.
On an ingredient list, these foods are sugars:
*sugar
*honey
*corn syrup
*molasses
and…..
any ingredient
ending in
“ose”.
Ingredients must be listed in order from
most to least, so seeing sugar as one of the
first ingredients is bad news! Check out the
ingredients of these marshmallows.
Tell your partner:
1. What are 2 complex carbohydrates?
2. What are simple carbohydrates called?
3. Why are fruits a healthy choice, even
though they contain sugar?
4. Why are foods with lots of added sugar
NOT a good health choice?
5. What are 2 things to remember about
sugar on food labels?
Video review of simple and complex carbs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6esFOqj_IaY
III. What does MyPlate
say about choosing
carbohydrates?
Make half your plate
fruits and vegetables.
Choose
fruits and
vegetables
as snacks.
*Use fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth. Leaving a
fruit bowl out can help you think of grabbing fruit
when you snack.
*Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can be
good choices, but check salt/sodium and sugar
content.
Choose
whole fruits
and
vegetables.
That doesn’t mean you can’t slice it—it just
means get the fiber by using all the food,
not just the juice. You can choose, whole,
sliced, or pureed.
Edible peels have lots of nutrients.
Pick fruits and vegetables
with lots of color.
They are full of vitamins and minerals.
Keep fresh
fruits and
vegetables safe
by washing
them well.
Rinse under running water, and rub the
surface to remove dirt and microorganisms.
Make at least
half your grains
whole grain.
*Check labels. Color is not a reliable sign of whole
grain. Look for a whole grain as the first ingredient,
or “100% Whole Grain” on the label.
*Try whole grain pastas and brown rice.
*In baking, try using whole grain for half the flour
in your recipe. (You may need a little extra leavening.)
*Popcorn is a whole grain. It can be a healthy snack
if you limit salt and butter. Try an air popper.
Check the
label for
fiber.
Good sources of fiber
contain 10-19% your
daily value (3 grams).
Excellent sources
contain 20% or more
(5 grams per serving).
With your partner,
discuss at least 5
MyPlate suggestions for
choosing carbohydrates.
Use what you have learned
to mark the following foods
+ if a good health choice
- if a poor choice.
1. Cereal with sugar as the
st
1 ingredient.
2. Bread with enriched wheat
flour as the first ingredient.
3. Bread with whole wheat
as the first ingredient?
4. A food
that says it
has 24% of
the fiber you
need for the
whole day.
5.
Eat the
skin on
your
baked
potato.
6. Choose yellow corn
instead of white corn.
7. Eat
SLICED
apple for
a snack.
8. Choose orange juice
instead of an orange.
9. Choose
canned
vegetables
with a high
sodium
(salt)
content.
10. Eat berries as you
pick them.
Did you reach our
learning targets?
1. Describe function and
sources of carbohydrate.
2. Give tips for selecting
healthful carbs.