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 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