WHAT ARE CARBS? Nutrients required by the body.

What do we want to know?  What are they?  Why do we need them?  Are there different types?  What are the best type to eat?  What does GI stand for?

Carbohydrates  Formed from the word carbo (meaning carbon) and hydrate (meaning water)  Made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules (carbon and water)  Produced by plants through photosynthesis But most importantly:

CARBOHYDRATES Provide the Body with ENERGY They are one of the macronutrients needed by the body in order to function properly.

Not only do Carbohydrates provide energy and heat for metabolism and activity, they also:  Regulate bowel movement (dietary fibre)  Are Essential for brain function  Regulate the use of fats and proteins  Reserve proteins for primary function  Glucose is the fuel of choice for active muscles as it provides heat and energy To the body Why else do we need carbs?

How does it give us ENERGY?  When we eat, the body breaks down the carbohydrates to make glucose which is then absorbed into the bloodstream  Glucose = Fuel for our Bodies (1g CHO =16kJ)  A lot of carbohydrates also contain vitamins and minerals that help keep us in tip-top shape and health

There are 3 types of Carbohydrates: Monosaccharide Simple Disaccharide Double Polysaccharide Complex  Glucose – fruit (grapes)  Fructose – honey & fruits  Galactose – when milk is digested  Sucrose – sugar cane  Maltose – cereals  Lactose - milk  Starch – fruits, vegies, cereals  Dextrin – formed from starch (when bread is toasted)  Pectin – fruit (apples & citrus fruits) also known as hemi- cellulose  Cellulose – fibre in plants  Glycogen – glucose stored in liver and muscles

Simple Carbohydrates  Have short chains of molecules so dissolve quickly Eg. glucose, fructose, galactose Foods include: CakesHoney SoftdrinkSyrups LolliesSugar Jellies Some fruits (grapes)

Disaccharides (Double)  When you have a joining of 2 monosaccharides Eg. Sucrose, Maltose, Lactose Foods Include: Sugar cane Cereals Milk

Complex Carbohydrates  Have Long Chains of molecules and take longer to dissolve Eg. starch, dextrin, pectin, cellulose, glycogen Foods include: Pasta Bread Grains/Cereals Fruits and vegetables

How much do we need?  Medical experts say that % of our diet should be made up of carbohydrates  Average intake for a teenager should be about 8700 kilojoules per day So, 8700 x 60 % = 5220 kilojoules 1 gram of carbohydrates = 16 kilojoules So, the RDI (Recommended Daily Intake) is approximately 310g of carbohydrates per day

ExcessDeficiency Overweight & obesity because excess glucose in the body is stored as fat Diabetes (excess sugar in the blood) Weight loss Starvation Fatigue Constipation Too much or not enough?

How do I get enough? To help get the right amount of carbohydrates in your diet, try to include 2 serves at each meal. An example of a serve is: 2 slices of bread 1 cup cooked rice 1 1/3 cups cereal 1 medium piece of fruit 1 tub of low fat yoghurt 250ml glass low fat milk Remember, a balanced diet is a healthy diet!!!

How do I know how many carbohydrates a food contains?  There is lots of information around: in books, on the internet, health practitioners  All packaged foods must have labels to let us know what they contain Let’s have a look at a few common foods and the carbohydrates they contain

Basic Foods FoodServing sizeCarbohydrates Potato (boiled)1 medium33g Honey1 tablespoon17g Ice cream (soft serve)1 cup22g Corn Flakes1 cup24g Apple1 medium19g Banana1 medium27g Grapes1 cup16g Orange Juice1 cup33g Spaghetti1 cup40g Bread1 slice16g We could use Food Composition tables to analyse our diets.

What is GI?  A ranking given to food that describes how quickly the carbohydrates they contain will be digested (changed to glucose) and absorbed into our bodies Called the GLYCAEMIC INDEX High GI foods are digested and absorbed quickly Low GI foods are digested and absorbed slowly

Low V’s High  Keep you feeling full for longer as they provide a gradual supply of energy  Helps keep blood glucose levels stable  May help to prevent some diseases  Used when high energy levels are needed for shorter bursts Eg. athletes, sports people body builders Low GI FoodsHigh GI Foods

Low GI FoodsHigh GI Foods Wholegrain bread Pasta Oats Apples, apricots and oranges Yoghurt and milk Dried beans Lentils Kidney beans Rolled oats White and wholemeal bread Processed cereals Short grain rice Potato Most cracker biscuits Watermelon Lollies, cakes etc

Dietary Fibre Another kind of Carbohydrate As if the humble Carbohydrate didn’t already have a big enough job!!!! It also provides our diet with fibre – a carbohydrate that only comes from plant based foods (fruits, vegetables and grains) Fibre in food is tough and stringy and our bodies won’t break it down completely so it helps to ‘regulate’ us RDI of Fibre is 25 – 30g Best Fibre options: Wholemeal or Grain Breads, Bran, Fruit and Vegetables, nuts, seeds, popcorn

Functions of Dietary Fibre  Stimulates chewing and encourages saliva flow to ensure healthy gums and teeth and more efficient digestion  Inhibits the emptying process of the stomach, therefore satisfying hunger for longer  Controls the rate of glucose absorption into the blood by slowing down the digestion of nutrients  Softens faecal waste to ensure comfortable bowel actions

Cooking with Carbohydrates SugarsStarch  As a sweetener.  As a preservative  It provides food for yeast in bread making.  In cake making, it helps the fat to entrap air, making cakes light.  It colours food.  Confectionery and sweets  Cake decorating, icings and fillings.  It softens gluten in cake making, creating a lighter product.  Syrups and glazes.  Meringues – it strengthens the protein in egg white, helping the mixture to retain air.  As a thickener in sauces, soups and gravies.  Found in cereals e.g. wheat may be used in baking bread, cakes, etc.  Found in root vegetables and potatoes.  Found in foods such as pasta, bread and rice, and forms the basis of a main meal.  Starch is hygroscopic; it absorbs moisture from the air and is added to baking powder to keep it dry. Pectin  Pectin found in ripe fruit helps to set jams and jellies.

Effects of dry and moist cookery methods  Dry heat of sugar causes caramelisation.  When boiled, sugar dissolves in water and then becomes a syrup. As water evaporates it caramelises and eventually burns.  Starch dissolves, swells and bursts when heated in water/liquids.  Dry heat causes starch cells to burst e.g. popcorn, pastry.  When dry heat is applied to starch shorter chain polysaccharides are formed, these are called dextrins (toasting).

Summary Carbohydrates:  provide the body with ENERGY  good source of fibre  good source of vitamins  3 different types: Monosaccharide (simple/sugar) Disaccharide (double) Polysaccharide (complex/starch)  The Glycaemic Index tells us how long the ‘energy’ from carbohydrates will stay in our body