Chapter 3: MACRONUTRIENTS

Carbohydrates - are organic compounds (saccharides - starches and sugars)

composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
- major source of energy of the body (80-100% of calories).

Classification of Carbohydrates

A. Monosaccharides- simple sugar and simplest form

- sweet and does not need digestion, directly absorbed into the blood stream from
small intestine.

a) Glucose- blood sugar (principal form)

- fruits, sweet corn, corn syrup.
- liver stores 1/3 of glycogen and liberates glucose.
-muscle cells stores and uses glycogen during exercise.
- only glucose can provide energy to brain, other nerve cells, and developing red
blood cells.
- gluconeogenesis- convertion of protein to glucose
Ketosis- a state that disturbs the body’s normal normal acid balance.

b) Fructose(levulose)- sweetest. Found in honey, most fruits, and some vegetables.

Converted into glucose.
c) Galactose- not found free in foods. Produced from lactose(milk sugar) by
digestion and converted to glucose.

B. Disaccharides- double sugar, made up of 2 monosaccharides. Sweet and must be

changed to glucose thru hydrolysis before absorption.
Galactosemia- inability to metabolize galactose.

a) Sucrose- ordinary table sugar from cane or beet sugar.

- Fruits, vegetables, syrups, and sweet food production.
-Converted to glucose and galactose thru digestion.
-Compose of glucose and fructose.
b) Lactose- found in milk and milk products except cheese. Converted into glucose
and galactose. Less sweet than sucrose, less soluble, favors calcium and
phosphorus assimilation.
c) Maltose- not found in free food, produced thru hydrolysis of starch and converted
into glucose. Occurs in malt products and germinating cereals, infant formulas,
beer, malt beverages. Less sweet than glucose and sucrose.

C. Polysaccharides - complex sugars

a) Starch- most significant to our nutrition

- Cereal, grains, potatoes, root vegetables, and legumes.
- Converted into glucose, more complex than sugar, and longer time to digest.
- Supplies energy in a longer period of time.
b) Dextrins - not found free in foods.
-Formed as intermediate products in the breakdown of starch.
c) Cellulose -forms the frameworks of plants.
-Unrefined grains, vegetables and fruits.
-Non-digestible
- Lower the blood glucose level of people with diabetes mellitus.
Soluble - To delay gastrointestinal transit and glucose absorption, and lower
blood cholesterol.
- Fruits, legumes, barleys and oats.
Insoluble - Accelerates gastrointestinal transit, increase fecal weight, slow
down starch hydrolysis, and delay glucose absorption.
- Wheat brans, corn brans, whole grain breads, cereals, and vegetables.
d) Pectins - Non-digestible, colloidal polysaccharides having a gel quality.
- Mostly fruits and are often used as base for jellies.
- Used to treat diarrhea as they absorb toxins and bacteria.
- Bind with cholesterol reducing the amount the blood can absorb.
e) Glycogen- animal starch, formed from glucose
- Stored in liver and muscle tissues
- Meats and seafoods.
- Converted into glucose. The hormones glucagons help the liver convert
glycogen to glucose when the body needed energy.

Digestion of Carbohydrates

1. Mouth
a. Enzyme- amylase, an enzyme of the saliva secreted by paratoid glands, acts
on starch to begin its breakdown to dextrins and maltose.
b. Action - food is conveyed in the stomach mostly in starch form.
2. Stomach
a. Enzyme- none for the carbohydrates
b. Action- none, above action by ptyalin may continue to a minor degree.
3. Small intestine
a. Enzyme -
b. Intestinal juice

Functions of Carbohydrates

1. To serve as the major source of the body. Fat is also a fuel but primarily a storage
foam and our body can function without it in diet. Only 365 gm of carbohydrates
stored in liver and muscle tissues and in circulating blood sugar.

The breakdown of cqrbohydrate storage of a 70kg man

Liver glycogen - 110 gm
Muscle glycogen - 245 gm
Extra-cellular blood sugar - 20 gm
Total 375 gm 1,460 calories

375 gm is only sufficient for 13 hours of moderate activity. Therefore, carbohydrates

must be ingested regularly to meet your body’s demands.

2. Protein sparing action- if there is no enough carbohydrates the body turns the
protein into glucose.
3. Fats are used when there is no suficient carbohydrates and these affects the
formation and dispossalof ketones. Ketones are products of fat metabolism that is
converted into fatty acids. Starvation and uncontrolled diabetes may result to a
condition called ketosis or acidosis but anti-ketogenic effect of carbohydrate can
prevent it.
4. Cellulose