Nutrition - Carbohydrates

NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE BODY
"Each day, normal cell functioning must be maintained, damaged cells need to be repaired,
and new cells are generated. These things cannot occur without proper nutrients."

THE SCIENCE OF NUTRITION

CARBOHYDRATES

           Carbohydrates are organic compounds that are used to power cellular processes and include the sugars and starches. They are needed more by physically active individuals and less by those who are sedentary. Carbohydrates from foods are used by the body for energy, stored as glycogen or converted to fat. Cells also use carbohydrates for generating important biochemicals, such as the five-carbon sugars that are needed for the production of the nucleic acids, DNA and RNA.

The food for fuel and energy consists of three main categories:

1)  Monosaccharides (fruits, honey, glucose, galactose, fructose) is a simple sugar and also the most readily absorbed and used by the body, so excessive intake can rapidly alter the blood pH levels toward a more acidic environment. Use these in moderation and choose nature’s way over the synthetic, such as honey over refined sugar and 1-2 servings of fruits per day

2)  Disaccharide (cane sugar, beet sugar, molasses, milk, sucrose, lactose) are simple sugars and are small enough to be readily absorbed. Use these in moderation and choose cane sugar, beet sugar and molasses.

3)  Polysaccharides (grains, beans, vegetables, cellulose, and glycogen from meats) are complex carbohydrates and decompose gradually by various enzymes in the mouth, stomach, pancreas, and intestines. These complex sugars enter the blood stream slowly after being broken down into smaller saccharide units. During this process, the blood pH remains slightly alkaline, which is ideal for the normal processes of the body. Use these more abundantly, such as 5-6 servings of vegetables, 6-11 servings of whole grains, cereals, and rice, and 2-3 servings of beans and occasionally meats.

An important part of our diet is the complex carbohydrate cellulose, which provides the crunch to celery and crispiness to lettuce. This important fiber acts as a weight to create peristalsis of the muscle wall in the digestive tract to facilitate the movement of food down the gastrointestinal tract.

Fiber is found only in plant foods like whole-grain breads and cereals, beans and peas, and other vegetables and fruits. Because there are different types of fiber in foods, it is important to choose a variety of foods daily. Eating a variety of fiber-containing plant foods is important for proper bowel function, can reduce symptoms of chronic constipation, diverticular disease, and hemorrhoids, and may lower the risk for heart disease and some cancers.

However, some of the health benefits associated with a high-fiber diet may come from other components present in these foods, not just from fiber itself. For this reason, fiber is best obtained from foods rather than supplements. In contrast, simple sugars are metabolized quickly, which causes increased acidity to disrupt the normal pH of the bloodstream.

The body needs carbohydrates. In fact over 50% of the daily dietary intake should consist of carbohydrates because even a temporary decrease in supply may severely damage nervous system function and metabolic acidosis. The adult liver stores about 100 grams of glucose as glycogen (a process known as glucogenesis) and the muscle tissue stores another 200 grams. This provides enough reserve for up to 12 hours when the person is resting. The rest of the carbohydrates that are not stored are converted into fat and stored in adipose tissue. Over dosage of carbohydrates can cause obesity, dental caries and nutritional deficits.

            In summary, we recommend the simple carbohydrates, such as honey, molasses, maple syrup, cane sugar, beat sugar, barley malt and fruits to be eaten in moderation. We encourage the complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, cereals, rice, beans, vegetables and fiber to be eaten more frequently.