Carbohydrates

Basic Information about Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, along with protein and fat, are one of the three macronutrients that give bodies energy. There are two primary types of carbohydrates simple and complex.

The human body is powered by carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Since these chemicals are easy to work with they are ideal for energy transfer. That is why carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the human body.

This energy in a ways comes from the sun. Plant use chlorophyll to absorb the light energy which the sun emits. Photosynthesis is the process in which the plants will convert the sun’s energy into food. Green plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, which allows for the production of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are a way in which humans and other animals are able to harvest the power of the sun in our own bodies, and it is through the process of photosynthesis. The plant will take carbon dioxide (C O 2) which it will take in from the air, water (H 2 O) which enters the plant through its root system in the ground, and the absorbed energy from the sun and transform it into oxygen (O 2) and barbohydrates (C 6 H 1 2 O 6) (6 C O 2 + H 2 O + energy = C 6 H 1 2 O 6 + 6 O 2). Chemically speaking most of the carbohydrates have a ratio of 1 : 2 : 1 of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Humans and animals need the energy which they obtain from carbohydrates to power their bodies. Both humans and animals can only get carbohydrates through digestion. The energy contained in carbohydrates can only be obtained by humans when they metabolize, or break down, the structure of the molecule in a process that is opposite that of photosynthesis. The process of metabolizing carbohydrates starts with the carbohydrates and oxygen in the body, and then produces carbon dioxide, water, and energy. The body of course will use the energy produced and the water, and will expel the carbon dioxide from the body.

Complex Carbohydrates

Another name for complex carbohydrates is polysaccharides. Polysaccharides are composed long chains of simple sugar units called polymers. Starch, glycogen, and dietary fiber are the three polysaccharides which deal the most with human nutrition.

Starch represents the most common type of digestible complex carbohydrates in the average human diet. Made of strands of glucose units linked together by alpha bonds, starch is a digestible form of complex carbohydrates. There are two types of starch, amylase and amylopectin. These two types are the normal form in which plants store energy—plants will normally store this energy in the seeds of the plants in starch. Plants store their energy in the seeds of their future off spring to try and help the seeds to endure the harshness of nature. Humans must use enzyme to break the bonds of the starch, the bonds linking glucose units together. This breaking of the bonds allows the release of the sugar contained in starch to be released into the bloodstream for energy. Once the sugar is in the blood stream it can be sent to the different parts of the body which may need additional energy, or the glocuse will be stored in the form of glycogen.

Glycogen, which is also a polysaccharide, is used to store energy in animals, like humans. Glycogen has a similar structure as starch; however, the chains of glucose linked by alpha bonds in glycogen are more highly branched than starch. The design of glycogen to be highly branched allows for enzymes in the body to quickly break down the bonds, which allows for the quicker transfer of energy from a stored to active state. The liver and the muscles of the body are the major storage sites for glycogen.

Dietary fiber is the third of the three most important complex carbohydrates in the body. The best description of dietary fiber is that of polysaccharides that have not been digested at the point of entry into the large intestine. Dietary fiber cannot be digested by human enzymes. Remember that the way carbohydrates are digested is through breaking down their molecular bonding with digestive enzymes, and allowing he body to convert the carbohydrates into energy (glucose). Since the bonds between the sugars cannot be broken by any of the dietary enzymes in the human body, dietary fiber is considered to be indigestible.

Dietary fiber comes from the structural aspect of plants normally. This means that there is little to no energy for the body to digest, if there was a way for the body to digest dietary fiber. Yet, just because dietary fiber doesn’t give the body energy that doesn’t mean there is no job for dietary fiber to play in the human body. Dietary fiber serves as the janitor of the digestive system. Since the body cannot break the fiber down, it will simply pass it through bile. It will also cause other waste products which normally linger longer in the digestive system of the body to also be passed out of the body. This janitorial work of dietary fiber plays a vital role to the health of the human body.

There are many diseases which start due to a lack of the expelling of waste elements from the human body. The regulation which dietary fiber provides helps the digestive system to remain normal, and prevent any unwanted and hazardous build up in the digestive track of the body. Studies have shown that having enough dietary fiber in a diet can potentially help a person to extend their life expectancy, and also to be more active in the later years of their life. Apples are actually one of the highest sources of natural dietary fiber, which makes the saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” seem like sensible medical advice for potentially improving a person’s life.

Simple Carbohydrates

Often called simple sugars, simple carbohydrates are made up of monosaccharide or disaccharide units. The human body is primarily powered by simple carbohydrates; the body will usually try to break down foods into simple sugars to gain quick power. Glucose, fructose, and galactose are all common monosaccharides, or carbohydrates composed of single sugar units.

The most common sugar in the human body is glucose. When a person is referring to the blood sugar levels of a person’s body, they are really asking the question of how much glucose that person has in their blood stream. Glucose levels in a person body are important for a person’s overall health, and also for any person who has diabetes or hypoglycemia. Both of these disorders are affected by the overall levels of glucose in the blood.

The number of products containing corn has caused a rise in the number of products using a form of fructose for sweeteners. This addition of high-fructose corn syrup into all kinds of products for all kinds of reasons (everything from bettering the taste of items to giving products a longer shelf life) has also had a very negative effect on the waistlines of Americans. Since the explosion of high-fructose corn syrup items there has also been a correlation with the number of Americans who are morbidly obese. Fructose can be found in honey and high-fructose corn syrup. Soft drinks are one of the common items which are sweetened using high-fructose corn syrup. This is one of the reasons that so much have been made in the political spectrum about the regulation of soft drinks for the betterment of people’s overall health. The reason for concern over the amount of high-fructose corn syrup is because it is a major source of calories in the majority of Americans diets.

Galactose is usually not found in nature like glucose and fructose. It is normally combines with glucose to form the disaccharide lactose; this form of galactose is often referred to as milk sugar. The body will try to convert all monosaccharide forms to glucose—like the metabolism of fructose and galactose. Sucrose, maltose, and lactose are the three particularly important disaccharides. Sucrose is created when glucose and fructose are held together by an alpha bond. Common sources of sucrose include sugar can or sugar beets, and when refined makes granulated table sugar. There are differences in the way the products are processed; however, white, brown, and powdered sugars are all forms of sucrose.

Maltose, which is also called malt sugar, is composed of two glucose units linked by an alpha bond. During the germinations of seed and the production of alcohol there is a chemical decomposition of starch—this chemical reaction is what produces maltose. Maltose is usually what gives the carbohydrates to alcoholic beverages, and also makes these beverages into an easy way of adding many additional calories to an otherwise average diet. Lactose is formed through a beta bond which combines glucose and galactose. This beta bond, in large quantities, is much harder for the human body to break down in comparison to other biological bonds. The enzyme lactase is required to effectively digest lactose. A lack of this enzyme in the body can lead to a person being lactose intolerant, which is an all too common medical disorder.

The majority of dietitians recommend a person have a very low amount of simple sugars in their diet. Simple sugars are used as a quick fuel in the body, but periods of inactivity after digestion can lead to the body simply converting this readymade energy source into stored fat. Simple carbohydrates are normally found in high volumes in foods which are normally characterized as “junk foods,” or “comfort foods.” A person trying to lose weight should definitely try to eliminate as many simple carbohydrates from their diet as possible in order to achieve their weight loss goals.

Sugar Comparisons

There are differences in between the different sources of sugar which a person can eat. Here is a comparison between the different types of sugars according to Mahan and Escott-Stump.

Beet sugar (cane sugar) – carbohydrate sucrose—Disaccharide (fructose and glucose) – this is similar to white and powdered sugar (differences vary based on purification method).

Brown sugar –carbohydrate sucrose—Disaccharide (fructose and glucose) – this is similar to white and powdered sugar (differences vary based on purification method).

Corn syrup—carbohydrate glucose—monosaccharide—this is different from high-fructose corn syrup.

Fruit sugar—carbohydrate fructose—monosaccharide—this sugar is very sweet.

High-fructose corn syrup—carbohydrate fructose—monosaccharide—very sweet and inexpensive, and it is added to many items such as soft, canned, and frozen fruit drinks.

Honey—carbohydrates fructose and glucose—monosaccharide—different varieties will have very different characteristics.

Malt sugar—carbohydrate maltose—disaccharide (glucose and galactose)—this is formed by the hydrolysis of starch, but sweeter than starch.

Maple syrup—carbohydrate sucrose—disaccharide (fructose and glucose)—different varieties have different nutritional content based on processing.

Milk sugar—carbohydrate lactose—disaccharide (glucose and galactose)—made in mammary glands of most lactating animals.

Powdered sugar—carbohydrate sucrose—disaccharide (fructose and glucose)—this type of sugar is similar to white and brown sugar, but varied degree of purification.

White sugar—carbohydrate sucrose—disaccharide (fructose and glucose)—this type of sugar is similar to white and brown sugar, but varied degree of purification.

Normal Recommendations for the Intake of Carbohydrates in a Diet

There are those who claim that an elevated level of carbohydrates in a diet can lead to elevated weight gains. This theory of carbohydrate bashing has been the hottest and most debatable topic in most nutritional circles. The argument given by those defending a diet high in carbohydrates is the fact that carbohydrates have only four calories per gram. That is less than half the calories per gram of dietary fats. The recommendation of the pro-carbohydrate camp is to have a diet which is high in complex carbohydrates, and lower in calories which come from sources of fats (usually meats, eggs, and some dairy products which are normally high in protein).

The recommendation for a healthy diet is to have 55 to 60 percent of total caloric intake come from sources high in complex carbohydrates, which is about 275 to 300 grams for a 2,000 calorie diet. These carbohydrates should be very high in complex carbohydrates, which provide the body with more long term energy, and promote weight loss. Experts recommend that of the 55 to 60 percent of carbohydrates making up the total diet, 45 to 50 percent come from complex carbohydrates, and only 10 percent or less come from simple carbohydrates.

Preparation of Carbohydrates in a Diet

Carbohydrates enter the body through dieting. The manner in which carbohydrates are prepared for consumption will influence how effectively the body will be able to gain energy from the carbohydrates. Raw food diets have become the new vogue way of living a healthy life. Eating only raw sources of food allows the body to naturally break down the foods using the digestive enzymes in the body. Eating some carbohydrate sources raw can have a very beneficial effect on getting complex carbohydrates from fruit and vegetable sources. The complex carbohydrates the body gets from natural fruit and vegetable sources are easier for the body to breakdown; however, the body is more likely to use these sources of complex carbohydrates to produce energy and not to simply store away as fat.

Ready to eat foods and other items which are processed are loaded with high amounts of simple carbohydrates. These simple carbohydrates when taken into the body in a form which require little to no digestive enzymes to convert will most likely end up giving the body a short boast of energy, and then end up being converted and stored as fat in the body. Nutrition experts have always warned people about eating too many foods which are processed and unnatural. It is better to get small amounts of simple carbohydrates through natural sources which require some amount of digestion to convert to energy.

There are some foods which require some amount of preparation to allow the body to digest the carbohydrates for energy. Many of the grains which are very high in complex carbohydrates wouldn’t be digestible by human enzymes if they were eaten raw. The way these carbohydrates are prepared will help the human body to metabolize them with digestive enzymes. The heating of starches allows them to swell. This swelling of the starch allows the body the ability to digest the starch and turn it into energy. Starting in the mouth and ending in the small intestine the body will begin to break down the starches into smaller units with different digestive enzymes. The process of breaking down and absorption will continue until the small intestine—the location where the majority of the absorption takes place in the human body. Any waste product is sent to the colon to be turned into bile. The energy collected in the small intestine is sent throughout the body to power the different muscle and organs in need of energy, or it will be stored in the body either as fat or glycogen.

Low Carbohydrate Diets

In the past ten to twenty years there has been a tremendous increase in the number of low carbohydrate and high protein diets. Diet such as the Atkins and South Beach diets try to help people to better understand what is standing in the way of their weight loss success. The general theory in these diets is that carbohydrates are actually making people gain weight more than the fat content of foods.

This general idea allows many dieters to eat as much ham, steak, bacon, chicken, fish, eggs, and other high protein and high fat foods they want—as long as the dieters will strip down their diet of any starches and carbohydrates of any kind. The thought is that foods high in protein aren’t metabolized as quickly as carbohydrates. This means the body stays fuller longer, and has to use more calories to digest their food. Also when the body has little carbohydrates and a large portion of protein it will begin to convert protein into an energy source. This process is known as gluconeogenesis, or the conversion of protein into glucose for energy. This process is very difficult for many people to accomplish, and studies have shown that people lacking will power to properly enter gluconeogenesis can do long term harm to their bodies for small short term benefits.

While the body is entering gluconeogensis the body’s endurance can be reduced by up to 50 percent, meaning it will eat away at many people’s personal resolve. In addition Ketosis starts to take place which can have permanent damage if not properly contained in the body. Symptoms include: weakness, dizziness, tunnel vision, fatigue, panting, strange foul breath, and abnormal EEG. Even if the process of gluconeogensis is achieved there is no guarantee that people will continue to provide their bodies with enough calories of protein, without a proper amount of protein in a diet the body will search for sources in the body. This means the body will cannibalize its own muscles in order to have enough energy to power the body.

While there has been many warning regarding low carbohydrate diets, and there are many negative side effects for those people who do not give their bodies a proper proportion of carbohydrates to protein while on the diet; low carbohydrate diets have proven to be more successful for weight loss than low fat diets.

This is the reason that so many people are switching away from the low fat diets which were so popular in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2003 it is estimated that more than 30 million people tried to perform a low carbohydrate diet. Several recent studies even claim that low carbohydrate diets do not have the drastic side effects which many anti-low carbohydrate diet skeptics claim. In recent studies people on low carbohydrate diets were able to keep off the weight more effectively than those people who used a low fat diet for weight loss.

Still as of today the National Academy of Sciences recommend that an adult obtain 45 to 60 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fat and 10 to 35 percent from protein. This is the current recommendation, but as more information is found out about the relationship between carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and health there will be a change in the recommendations. Those people wishing to limit their carbohydrates in their diet and raise their protein should be aware of the risk, and should seek out proper protein products to help in their weight loss goals.

How People Add Protein to Their Diet

Those people who are actively looking to expand the muscle mass in their bodies should consider adding a protein supplement to their diet. A good protein supplement will be able to help the body to fill in the gaps in the muscle growth, and also help the body to build strong lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass is ideal for any person who is looking to add muscle to their body without adding large amounts of bulk. The lack of bulk and addition of strength is good for an athlete who is looking for quick explosive movements. A lack of bulk is also good for those people wishing to add muscle mass without gaining overall weight.

Lean muscle mass is ideal for those people wishing to lose weight. Lean muscle mass acts like little fat burning factories. Unlike body fat, muscle is an active part of the body. This means the body must expend calories in order to maintain the muscles mass in the body. The calories which a person expends maintain lean muscle mass quickly add up, and in many cases can be more than a full hour worth of cardiovascular activity. Lean muscle mass is great for those people who struggle to maintaining weight loss goals. Many diets are designed to eliminate all of the bulk in the body, regardless of whether it is muscle or fat. This is great for a person looking to lose a large amount of weight in a short amount of time; however, these types of weight loss programs normally end with poor results. Without a frame work of lean muscle mass burning up additional unwanted calories the body will simply start to store extra calories as fat. This will result in a person replacing the weight they have lost in a very short amount of time.

The best supplement to provide additional protein to a diet without unwanted calories or high amounts of carbohydrates is whey protein isolates. Whey protein isolates come from a dairy source, and are very high in the proportion of protein to carbohydrates. There are very few recorded side effects of taking whey protein isolates, especially in comparison to protein supplements which come from soy based products. A whey protein isolate is easier for the body to digest and metabolize. This means the body can use this type of protein quicker and more efficiently immediately after a workout, and that means the body will build more overall muscle mass.

Some weight training specialists recommend taking upwards of half a person’s body weight in pounds worth of grams of protein per day to get the maximum benefits of protein in a weight training diet. This recommendation is high, and isn’t back by any studies. It is recommended that before a person takes such a high dosage of protein, they consult their health care professional. When taking protein there are many people who recommend extremely high dosages. It is recommended to follow the recommendations on the supplement bottle, or follow the guidelines of a person’s healthcare provider to get the maximum results. There are health consequences from taking too much protein, and they need to be avoided for the best healthy results.

The Problems of Too Much Protein

A person having too much protein in their system can be just as damaging as not having enough. Too much protein for an extended period of time will lead to problems in the kidney. The body is unable to store extra amounts of protein. The lack of storage of protein means that a person must replenish their body’s proteins supplies daily. It also means that excessive amounts of protein are converted into different materials and then sent through the kidney and the body’s urinary tract. Normally a person’s kidney is able to contend with the extra protein in the body through supplementation. Yet, if a person goes extreme with the amount of protein they have in their body, then the kidney will begin to fail. This failure of the kidney will force the body to find another way to deal with the excessive protein in the body. The body will try to store the extra amounts of protein in the blood stream, and then it will try to aspirate the remaining amount in the lungs. Foul breath is one of the warning signs of protein toxicity. Kidney failure can be fatal; therefore it is important for a person trying to get the health benefits of protein to consider just how much protein they have in their bodies.

Another side effect of weight training and protein use is the expansion of the number of free radicals a person has in their body. Free radicals are elements in the body which develop through natural processes of aging. These free radicals have been linked to many diseases—cancer, mental degeneration, and cardiovascular disease to name a few. These free radicals are released into the body when a person is tearing their muscle fibers in order to expand their muscle mass. The number of free radicals in the body has also been influenced by the amount of protein which a person has in their body. A person who is weight training and taking a protein supplement is more susceptible to hazardous effects of free radicals in the body. It is recommended that a person supplement their diet with antioxidants. Antioxidants seek out and eliminate free radicals in the body. There are good antioxidant supplement products which will help the body to have sufficient antioxidants to weight train in perfect health.