Unit 2: Food and food groups 16 hour theory and 4 hours practical

Module content:

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are also called sugars

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for the body. Energy is measure in kilocalories

The energy-producing nutrients are carbohydrates and fats

Ig lipid (fat) -9kcal (38kj)

1g protein- 4kcal (17kj)

1g carbohydrate-4kcal(17kj)

Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches, and dietary fiber that occur in plant foods and dairy
products.

Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods.

They also occur in dairy products in the form of a milk sugar called lactose.

carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Oxygen and hydrogen are present in
the same proportion as in water.

Two basic compounds make up carbohydrates:

Aldehydes, which are double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms, plus a hydrogen atom, and
ketones, which are double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms, plus two additional carbon atoms

Classification of carbohydrates

Carbohydrate can be monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides

Monosaccharides are single units of sugar. Examples include:

glucose, the body’s main source of energy. It is found in ripe fruits and some veh=getables e.g
onions, beetroot.

galactose, which is most readily available in milk and dairy products

fructose, which mostly occurs in fruits and vegetables

Disaccharides

Disaccharides are two sugar molecules joined together. Examples include:

lactose, found in milk, which is made up of glucose and galactose

sucrose, or table sugar, which is made up of glucose and fructose

Maltose, is formed by two units of glucose. Is sometimes called ‘malt sugar’ and is found in
cereals such as barley where it is formed during germination.

During digestion, disaccharides are broken down to glucose and other monosaccharides before
being absorbed into the blood stream

Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides are chains of many sugars. They can consist of hundreds or thousands of
monosaccharides.

Polysaccharides act as food stores for plants and animals. There are five main polysaccharides.
These are;

glycogen, which stores energy in the liver and muscles

starches, which are abundant in potatoes, rice, and wheat

cellulose, one of the main structural components of plants

Dextrin, is formed when foods containing starch e.g bread are baked or toasted. The dextrin
forms part of the crust on such foods and is more soluble than starch

Pectin, is a complex polysaccharide formed by some plants e.g. plums, apple, in their fruits and
roots. It forms gels in water and is responsible for setting jam. It can be commercially extracted
for these purpose
 Carbohydrate requirement

Carbohydrate should be used in preference to protein as an energy supplier so that the protein
can be used for body growth and repair. Protein -and carbohydrate- rich foods are usually eaten
together for this reason e.g meat and potatoes, bread and cheese.

If someone eats more carbohydrates than body requires, the excess is converted into fat and
stored under the skin. This is one of the major causes of obesity.

Eating too many carbohydrate-based snack and convenience foods e.g sweets, chocolate, instant
meals, and puddings may lead to an excess intake of energy from carbohydrate so these foods
should be eaten in moderation

Effects of heat on carbohydrates

Sugar

Dry heat- sugar melts then ceramelizes and finally burns leaving a black residue

Wet-heat- sugar first dissolves then becomes a syrup which caramelizes and finally burns when
the water has evaporated

Starch

Dry heat- starch changes to dextrin

Wet heat- starch grains first soften, then absorb water and swell causing some to rupture. The
starch then dissolves to form a paste

Sources of starch

Wholegrain cereals e.g wheat, rice, oats, e.g whole meal bread, wholegrain pasta,

Fruits e.g skin of apples, plums

Vegetables eg potato skins, green leafy vegetables

Proteins

Proteins are vital for growth, repair and maintenance of the body

Protein can also be used to provide the body with energy once it has been used for its main
functions of growth and repair.

Proteins contains these elements; oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sometimes sulphur and
phosphorus

The protein molecules are made up of small units joined together like links in a chain. These
units are called amino-acids.

At least different amino-acids are known to occur naturally and each has its own chemical name

Proteins that contains all the essential amino-acids in sufficient quantities are said to be of high
biologic value. They are sometimes also called complete proteins

High biologic value proteins are found mainly in animal foods;

Meat

cheese,

fish,

milk,

eggs

Proteins that lack one or more of indispensable (essential amino acids) are of low biologic value.
They are sometimes called incomplete proteins

Low biologic value proteins are mainly found in plant foods;

Cereals, e,g wheat, rice, oats

Pulses e.g peas, beans, lentils

Some nuts

Vegetables
There are two exceptions to this: soya beans (plant) contain high biologic value proteins

Gelatine (animal) contains low biologic value proteins

Low biologic value protein foods are not inferior to high biologic value protein foods.

When a combination of low biologic value foods is eaten e.g lentil soup with bread, then
indispensable amino-acids which are limited in one are provided by the other. In this way,
proteins complement each other to provide a sufficient supply of indispensable amino-acids

Protein requirements

Everyone needs some protein in their daily diet when when they have stopped growing but at
certain times of our lives these needs increase

For example;

Babies and children require a lot of proteins as they grow rapidly

Adolescents require proteins for their rapid spurt of growth

Pregnant women require more than normal to cater for the growing baby

Nursing mothers requires more than normal milk production during breast-feeding (lactation)

Protein is required at all other times for body maintenance, repair and growth of hair , nails and
skin.

Functions of proteins

Amino acids are used for:

growth and repair of body cells and tissues

synthesis of enzymes, plasma proteins, antibodies (immunoglobulins) and some hormones

provision of energy. Normally a secondary function, this becomes important only when there is
not enough carbohydrate in the diet and fat stores are depleted.
When protein is eaten in excess of the body’s needs, the nitrogenous part is detached, i.e. it is
deaminated, and excreted by the kidneys. The remainder is converted to fat for storage in the fat
depots, e.g. in the fat cells of adipose tissue