Carbohydrates HFN20

What is a calorie?  Unit a energy, measurement of heat  The amount of energy, or heat, it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius  2000 cal per day is a rough estimate  depends on other factors like body size, exercise, health, metabolism (compare to a furnace)

Maconutrients  Carbohydrates (4 cal. / gram)  Fats (9 cal. / gram)  Protein (4 cal. / gram)

Carbohydrates

Functions  Gives your body energy  Keeps your digestive system fit  Feeds your brain and nervous system

Your brain is powered by carbohydrates 100% glucose power

Sugars  Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugars and uses them for energy:  Monosaccharide (single sugars)  glucose, fructose, galactose  Disaccharide (double sugars)  lactose, sucrose, maltose

Polysaccharides  A polysaccharide is a long strand of glucose.

Two Types of Carbs: SIMPLE (taste sweet)  Sugars Fruits Honey COMPLEX Potatoes Breads Beans

Why can’t I just eat candy, it contains sugar?  When you eat food containing refined sugar (candy) it gets absorbed directly into your blood stream  Refined sugar is concentrated sugars without any other nutrients.  Grains, vegetables and fruits are carbohydrates that have high nutrient dense sugars  Nutrient dense sugars arrive with water, fiber, vitamins and minerals.  They get absorbed slower and are healthy for your body.

If I want to lose weight, should I avoid carbohydrates?  Carbohydrates are wrongly accused of being fattening ingredients.  Carbohydrates deliver fewer calories than fatty foods.  It also takes a lot of energy to turn the carbohydrates into fat, therefore even more of the carbohydrate is lost.  Avoid fatty foods instead

Carbohydrates 55 – 60 % of a persons total food energy should come from carbohydrates

Fiber  Fiber is the supporting structure of plants (stems, leaves and seeds)  It provides roughage for the body and helps digestion and elimination

Benefits of Fiber  Reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke  Improved health of digestive tract  Increases stool weight by holding water in feces  Helps with elimination and the prevention of digestive diseases.  Helps maintain a healthy body weight  Gives a feeling of fullness

How much fiber?  A human should get between rams per day.