- Provide energy for muscles, fuel for the central nervous system, enables fat metabolism, protein sparing, and brain fuel.
- Found in Grains, Fruits, Milk groups, and vegetables.
- Broken down into smaller units then sent to the Liver and converted to glucose which is sent back to the blood stream for energy.
- Stored as Glycogen. If storage is full the remaining glucose is stored as fat
- Muscle: 400 gms 1600 calories
- Only used in the muscle it is stored in
- Liver: 100 gms 400 calories
- Blood: 25 gms 100 calories
- Needs
- Brain 120 gms 480 kcal 60% of daily glucose bodily needs
- Availability
- Low Intensity: 2 hours
- High Intensity: 20 minutes
- Added vs. Natural Sugars
- Added sugars have no nutritional benefits = table sugar and high fructose corn syrup
- Natural sugars also contain water, fiber, and various micronutrients
- Simple vs Complex
- Simple: Sugar
- Quickest source of energy
- Table sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, jams, fruit / soft drinks, candy, white rice
- Sugar = Sucrose, High fructose corn syrup (HFCS), dehydrated can juice, fructose, glucose, dextrose, syrup, cane sugar, raw sugar, corn syrup, etc
- Maximum Amount (According to the American Heart Association)
- Men: 37.5 gms = 150 calories = 9 teaspoons
- Women: 25 gms = 100 calories = 6 teaspoons
- Pre-Schoolers: 16 gms = 64 calories = 4 teaspoons
- Children 4 – 8: 12 gms = 48 calories = 3 teaspoons
- 2008 Average: 76.7 gms / day = 306 calories = 19 teaspoons
- 60 pounds / year
- Avoid: Soft drinks, Fruit juices, Candies, Sweets, Baked Goods, Canned fruits, Dried fruits
- Add: Cinnamon, nutmeg, almond extract, vanilla, ginger, or lemon, Stevia (natural zero-calorie alternative)
- Terms:
- Sugar – Free: less than 0.5 g of sugar per serving
- Reduced / Less Sugar: at least 25% less than standard serving
- No added sugar: no sugar is added
- Low sugar: not defined or allowed as a food label claim
- Sugar Substitutes
- Novel
- Stevia (Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf)
- Natural
- Agave Nectar, Date Sugar, Fruit Juice, Honey, Maple Syrup, Molasses
- Alcohol
- Erythritol, Hydrogenated Starch Hydrolysate, Isomalt, , Malitol, Mannitol, Sorbitol, Xylitol
- Artificial
- Aspartame (Equal, Nutra Sweet)
- Saccharin (Sweet N Low, SugarTwin)
- Sucralose (Splenda)
- Novel
- Complex: Starches and Fiber – Not stored
- Often rich in vitamins and minerals
- Green veggies, whole grains, oatmeal, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, beans, lentils, peas
- Take longer to digest leading to a slow, steady increase in glucose and insulin levels
- Energy produced more slowly but last longer
- Fiber
- Men = 38 grams Women = 25 grams
- Soluble: can be broken down and provide energy
- Found in many fruits and green leafy vegetables, celery, carrots, apples, pears.
- Insoluble: cannot be digested in our system and does not provide energy.
- Commonly found in whole grain cereal, bread, and rice.
- Promotes gut motility and satiety
- Starch (30 – 40 g per day)
- A main energy source (sugar the other)
- Starch contains vitamins and minerals simple sugars do not
- Dietary Starch
- Breaks down into glucose providing a more gradual release of energy than simple carbs
- Can lower blood cholesterol, and reduce constipation, hemorrhoids, and diverticulitis
- Legumes, starchy vegetables, and whole grains
- Resistant Starch: pass undigested in the colon and function much like dietary fiber and provide nutrition for beneficial bacteria in the colon
- Found inside indigestible cell walls of plants
- Raw potatoes, green bananas, plantains
- Indigestible unless heated
- Corn, peas, and squash
- Sometimes called retrograde, because a post cooking cooling period makes them indigestible
- Potatoes, rice, and legumes
- Last is chemically modified and not a natural starch
- Found inside indigestible cell walls of plants
- A main energy source (sugar the other)
- Simple: Sugar
- Insulin / Pancreas
- Glycemic Index
- Low Glycemic foods (55 or less)
- Brown Rice (55), Basamati (52), Sweet Potato (46)
- Thicken in the digestive tract slowing absorption
- High Glycemic foods (70 or higher) à leads to Diabetes
- Glucose (100), White Bread (79), Sweet potato baked > 46 minutes (94)
- Low Glycemic foods (55 or less)
- When to eat Carbohydrates
- 2 – 4 hours before exercise
- Allow for digestion time
- A meal rich in carbohydrates. 400 – 800 kCal meal with 250 – 500 kcal (65 – 125 gm)
- Whole grian bagel with tomato slices and low fat cheese OR one cup of banana slices in vanilla yogurt OR a small portion of spaghetti and meat sauce OR and energy bar and a fruit combo
- Liquid meals are recommended for sensitive stomachs
- 1 – 2 hours before exercise
- Prevent hunger and indigestion with a carbohydrate beverage, low fat smoothie, or fruit
- Less than 1 hour before exercise
- Only water and fluid replacement beverage (pedialite is best)
- Minimize high GI foods to avoid hypoglycemic attack from insulin surge from pancreas and exercise
- 5 – 10 minutes before exercise
- Short exercise a simple carbohydrate COULD
- Long exercise, avoid simple sugars and drink a sports drink
- During exercise
- 15 – 30 g of carbs every 30 minutes
- After exercise
- Within 30 minutes 25 – 100 gm of carbs
- Also add 20 g of protein to initiate muscle synthesis and repair
- 2 – 4 hours before exercise