Nutrition and Carbohydrates Quiz

Simple sugars; the basic building blocks of dietary sugars, starches, and fiber.

A common monosaccharide, also known as dextrose or blood sugar, essential for energy.

Sugars formed by combining two monosaccharides.

A disaccharide formed from glucose and fructose; table sugar.

A disaccharide formed by glucose and galactose; milk sugar.

A disaccharide formed by two glucose molecules; produced during starch digestion.

Refined sugars that provide little or no other nutrients besides energy

Inability to digest lactose due to a lack of the enzyme lactase.

Short chains of complex carbohydrates, containing 3-10 monosaccharides.

A digestible polysaccharide found in grains, legumes, and tubers; broken down into glucose for energy.

Portion of starch that remains undigested in the small intestine.

Carbohydrates made up of many linked sugar (monosaccharide) units. These include oligos and polysaccharides.

Carbohydrates that our body breaks down into glucose for energy.

Types of oligosaccharides found in beans and other legumes, not easily broken down by our bodies, leading to gas.

Stored in the liver, it breaks down to provide glucose to the body when blood sugar levels drop. This helps maintain a consistent energy supply.

Stored in muscles, it provides glucose specifically for muscle activity during exercise or physical exertion.

The structural parts of plants, mostly made up of polysaccharides. Human bodies can't digest these, so they pass through undigested, offering minimal energy.

Even though it's not digested, fibre is beneficial. Gut bacteria ferment it, creating water, gas, and short-chain fatty acids, which support colon health.

A type of fat where every carbon atom in the fatty acid chain is bonded to the maximum number of hydrogen atoms. It has no double bonds (C=C).

A type of fat where the fatty acid chain has one double bond (C=C).

A type of fat where the fatty acid chain has two or more double bonds (C=C).

The degree of saturation affects the firmness of lipids at room temperature. Saturated fats are generally more firm and solid at room temperature, while polyunsaturated fats are liquid (oils).

Some vegetable oils like cocoa butter, palm oil, and coconut oil are saturated and thus solid at room temperature. They are firmer than most vegetable oils, but softer than most animal fats due to their shorter carbon chains.

The length of the carbon chain in a fatty acid also affects the firmness of the lipid. Shorter chains result in softer fats at room temperature.

Triglycerides are a type of simple lipid that are the most common form of fat in the human body. They are composed of glycerol and three fatty acid chains.

Lipids are stored in fat cells (adipocytes) within adipose tissues, which are found under the skin and around organs.

Glucose is the main energy source for most body cells, including the brain, nervous system, red blood cells, intestinal mucosa, and retina.

Glycogen is a storage form of glucose in the liver and muscles. When blood glucose levels are low, the liver breaks down glycogen to release glucose into the blood.

Extra carbohydrates beyond energy needs are first stored as glycogen. When glycogen storage is full, excess carbohydrates are converted into fat for long-term storage.

When there is enough energy from carbohydrates or fats, the body doesn't need to break down protein for energy, allowing protein to do its essential jobs like building and repairing tissues.

Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool, promoting regular bowel movements. Soluble fiber and resistant starch are fermented by bacteria in the colon, producing butyric acid, a key energy source for colon cells.

Carbohydrates should constitute 50% of total daily calorie intake. A minimum of 50-100 grams of carbohydrates per day is needed to spare protein and prevent ketosis.

Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains and starchy vegetables, should be the primary source of carbohydrates in the diet.

Empty calories, such as refined sugars, provide little nutritional value beyond energy and contribute to excess calorie intake and health problems.

A fatty acid with no double bonds between carbon atoms. They are typically solid at room temperature and tend to be more stable.

A fatty acid with one or more double bonds between carbon atoms. The bend at the double bond prevents tight stacking, making them liquid at room temperature.

A fatty acid with multiple double bonds between carbon atoms. They are highly unstable and prone to oxidation.

A chemical process where fats react with oxygen, leading to spoilage and rancidity.

A process that adds hydrogen atoms to unsaturated fats, reducing the number of double bonds and increasing stability.

An unhealthy type of fat produced during hydrogenation. It has a straight structure like saturated fats but is less stable.

Trans fats found naturally in small amounts in some animal products (e.g., milk, meat).

Trans fats created through a manufacturing process (hydrogenation). These are found in processed foods.