CARBOHYDRATES

Dr Pulkit Mathur
Ms Kavneet kaur
Dept of Food and Nutrition
Lady Irwin College
 What are carbohydrates ?

 Chemically carbohydrates are aldehyde or ketone derivatives of polyhydric

alcohols.
 They occur as sugars or polymers of sugars such as starch, which can be
hydrolysed to simple sugars by the action of digestive enzymes or by heating
with dilute acids.
 Generally, but not as a rule, the hydrogen and oxygen in them are in the same
proportion as in water (H2O); hence the term ‘carbo-hydrate’ (i.e. hydrates of
carbon).
 Carbohydrates represent the most important source of energy for the body, and
are vital for a varied and balanced diet.
 The building blocks of all carbohydrates are sugars and they can be classified
according to how many sugar units are combined in one molecule, namely –
monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.
 Classification of carbohydrates

CLASS EXAMPLES
Monosaccharides Glucose, fructose, galactose
Disaccharides Sucrose, lactose, maltose
Oligosaccharides Fructo-oligosaccharides, raffinose,
stachiose
Starch polysaccharides Amylose, amylopectin, dextrins
Non- starch polysaccharides (dietary Cellulose, pectins, hemi-cellulose,
fibre) gums
Type of Carbohydrate Rich Sources
Simple carbohydrates
Fructose Fruits, vegetables, honey, high fructose corn syrup (used to sweeten beverages
and food products commercially)

Glucose Fruits, vegetables, honey

Lactose Milk and milk products
Sucrose Table sugar, sugarcane, beetroot
Maltose Malted/sprouted seeds, some alcoholic beverages

Sugar alcohols Processed foods labelled as ‘low calorie’ or ‘sugar free’

Complex carbohydrates
Starch Cereals grains, pulses, roots and tubers
Resistant Starch Whole legumes, beans, peas, oats, raw potato, unripe banana

Glycogen Muscle tissues, liver

Soluble fibre Oats, Fruit pulp, legumes
Insoluble fibre Whole grain cereals, seeds, beans, bran, stalks, peels and seeds of vegetables
and fruits

Inulin Wheat, onion, banana

β Glucan Bran of grains like barley, oats, wheat
Oligosaccharides
Raffinose beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, other vegetables,
whole grains

Fructooligosaccharides Some fruits (banana), vegetables (onion, garlic, leek, asparagus), wheat and
barley
Stachyose Green beans, soyabeans, some vegetables
 Simple carbohydrates Complex carbohydrates

oligosaccharides
 Functions of carbohydrates
 Main function of carbohydrates is to provide energy. (1g= 4 kcal)

 It’s the main source of energy for CNS. Heart muscles also use glucose as a
source of energy.
 Several compounds in the body are carbohydrates or carbohydrate
derivatives. Ribose, the pentose sugar (5 carbon sugar), is a constituent of the
cell’s genetic material, RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid).
 Carbohydrates have a protein-sparing action.
 Carbohydrates also help in the normal oxidation of fats
 Liver rich in glycogen is more resistant to certain poisons. Glycogen is hence
protective for the liver as it has a detoxifying action
 Dietary fibre helps in regulation of bowel movements, blood glucose,
triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
 Functions (2)
 Soluble fibre absorbs water and swells up. It delays the emptying of the
stomach thus giving a feeling of satiety. Being indigestible it lowers the
energy density of the food it is present in. People wanting to reduce calorie
intake for weight loss purposes should hence eat high fibre diets.
 Some of the indigestible carbohydrates like fructooligosaccharides and inulin
act as prebiotics, helping the growth of good bacteria in our gut.
 Dietary fibre is fermented by bacteria residing in our large intestine to
produce short chain fatty acids which can be absorbed and used as a source
of energy. Soluble fibre undergoing fermentation in the colon would provide
2 Kcal/ g of fibre. These fatty acids are good for the health of intestinal
mucosal cells.
 Dietary fibre

 Is derived form plant cells and analogous carbohydrates , which are resistant
to digestion by the enzymes in the small intestine.

 They undergo partial or complete fermentation in the human large intestine.

 Its of 2 types
✓ Soluble fibre
✓ Insoluble fibre
Parameter Soluble Fiber Insoluble Fiber
Solubility in water Soluble Insoluble
Types Pectins, gums, mucilages Cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin
Action on gut Increases transit time, delays gastricDecreases transit time in the colon
motility emptying and hence gives a feeling and ensures regular frequency of
of fullness emptying of bowel
Fermentability More easily fermented Fermented to a lesser degree
Health benefits Lowers blood glucose, triglycerides Prevents colorectal cancer,
and cholesterol haemorrhoids, diverticulitis, irritable
bowel syndrome and constipation
Food sources Fleshy part of fruits and vegetables, Bran of cereals, seed coat of
cereals like oats legumes, seeds and peels of fruits
and vegetables, stalks of green
leafy vegetables
Resistant Starch

 These starches escape digestion and absorption in the

small intestine.
 They behave as dietary fibre conferring similar health
benefits.
 Consumption of foods containing natural resistant starch
seems to positively affect weight management.
 Rich sources include whole legumes, beans, raw potato
and green banana.
 Carbohydrate recommendations
 Carbohydrates are a vital component of a
healthy and balanced diet. They can help to
control body weight.

 Minimum 100g of carbohydrate

recommended for brain function.

 Based on energy intake, a level of about 40

g of fibre/2000 kcal in a diet is considered
reasonably safe.

 The goal should be to include less of simple

(<10% of total energy) and more of complex
carbohydrates. Total carbohydrate intake
55-60%.
 The Scientific Advisory Committee on
Nutrition and the World Health
Organization in 2015 have provisionally
recommended a further reduction of free
sugars to less than 5%.
Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
 Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how much a food can raise blood
glucose levels.
 Low GI foods (GI <55) include most fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
legumes. Foods rich in fibre will have a lower glycemic index as fibre
prevents absorption of glucose.
 Medium GI (56-69) foods are basmati rice, brown rice, sucrose.
 High GI (>70) foods are baked potato, white bread, some white rice
varieties.
 However, the amount of carbohydrate consumed also affects blood
glucose levels and insulin responses. The Glycemic load of a food is
calculated by multiplying the glycemic index by the amount of
carbohydrate in grams provided by a food and dividing the total by 100.
 Dietary glycemic load is the sum of the glycemic loads for all foods
consumed in the diet. The concept is used to simultaneously describe the
quality (glycemic index) and quantity of carbohydrate in a meal or diet.
Reading labels

 When selecting processed foods we must study the nutrition information on

the label and avoid foods which have high total calories and
carbohydrates or high sugars.
 Choose products wisely. If there is a choice between juices, one with
added sugar and one without, choose the latter.
 Similarly select products with whole wheat flour and not refined.
 Fibre-rich foods are also healthy so look for amount of fibre. There should be
at least 6 g fibre/ 100g food product
Eating too much fibre also not good!

 Eating too much (> 60 g/day) of dietary fibre can also create problems.
 As fibre tends to absorb a lot of water, the fluid intake needs to be
increased along with the fibre otherwise it results in hard, dry stools.
 Absorption of nutrients is delayed by fibre in the gut as it acts as a physical
barrier between the enzymes and the nutrients, slowing down the process
of digestion.
 Polysaccharides and lignins interact with metal ions like iron, calcium, zinc,
and hence these cannot be absorbed.
 It may also cause irritation in the bowel and may lead to diarrhoea.
Consuming Excess
of Carbohydrates

 Excess carbohydrates are

converted to fat and stored
in the adipose tissue leading
to weight gain and ultimately
obesity
 Obesity in turn increases the
risk of diabetes and
cardiovascular diseases
 High intake of sugar is
associated in a rise in serum
triglycerides
 High sugar diets also increase
the risk of dental caries
 Very low Carbohydrate Diets

Low fibre intake

Not sustainable can lead to
Glucose is essential May lead to a
over a long period constipation and
for brain function. situation of ketosis
of time associated
conditions
Lactose intolerance

 Lactase is the enzyme which helps to digest

lactose.
 People with low levels of this enzyme are
not able to digest and absorb lactose.
 Bacteria in the gut act upon the lactose
producing gas, bloating and diarrhoea.
 Some lactose intolerant individuals are
better able to tolerate fermented products
like curd since lactose has been converted to
lactic acid by the bacteria.
Low/ Zero Calorie Sweeteners
 Alternative sweeteners are available which do not raise blood glucose levels
and do not provide any calories.
 Commonly used synthetic sweeteners include saccharin, Aspartame,
Acesulfame-K and Sucralose.
 Stevioside is a naturally occurring sweetener extracted from Stevia leaves.
 Although these sweeteners offer an alternative to diabetics and those who wish
to reduce their calorie intake, one must be cautious and not consume too
much of these sweeteners.
 Exceeding the Acceptable Daily Intakes (ADIs) can lead to toxicity.
 Saccharin at one point was linked to bladder cancer, while aspartame
consumption in certain studies led to side effects like headache, nausea and
dizziness.
 ADI is the amount of the sweetener that an individual can safely consume daily
over a lifetime. ADIs are generally expressed as mg of the sweetener per kg of
body weight per day e.g. ADI of saccharin is only 5mg/ kg body weight/ day,
for sucralose it is 15mg/kg/day while for aspartame it is 40mg/kg/day according
to Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA).