Potatoes and Health: Gut, Heart, Energy & Diet

• Potatoes are good for heart health, great for gut health due to altering gut microbiota composition and diversity, and full of nutrients like potassium, which helps nerve, muscle, and heart function
• Eat your potatoes!

Carbohydrates Overview

• Carbohydrates are a primary fuel source for the brain, nervous system, and red blood cells
• Each gram of carbohydrates provides 4 kcal
• Carbohydrates are readily available as fuel for all cells in the form of blood glucose
• Glycogen stored in muscle and liver is another readily available form of carbohydrates for fuel
• The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that 45% to 65% of total daily calories come from carbohydrates
• Consuming carbohydrates from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes is recommended

Forms of Carbohydrates

• Simple sugars are simple forms of carbohydrates that split into monosaccharides and disaccharides
• Polysaccharides are complex forms of carbohydrates, which split into starches (digestible) and fibers (indigestible)
• Total Sugars and Added Sugars are found on the Nutrition Facts label

Monosaccharides

• Mono means one
• Monosaccharides are the basic unit of all sugar structures
• Glucose, fructose, and galactose are examples of monosaccharides
• Glucose is the primary monosaccharide found in the body
• Glucose is also known as dextrose or blood sugar
• Glucose mostly comes from the breakdown of starches and sucrose (table sugar)
• Almost all carbohydrates are converted to glucose in the liver
• Fructose is also called fruit sugar
• The small intestines absorb fructose
• Fructose is transported to the liver for metabolism and then converted to glucose or other compounds, such as fat
• Most free fructose consumed is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in highly processed foods
• Galactose, in pure form, is not found in large quantities in nature
• Galactose is often bound to glucose and part of lactose
• The liver absorbs and transports galactose that is eventuallyconverted to glucose or glycogen

Disaccharides

• Di means two
• Disaccharides are sugars made of two monosaccharides bonded together
• Sucrose, lactose, and maltose are examples of disaccharides
• Sucrose is when glucose and fructose are bonded together
• Sucrose is found naturally in sugarcane, sugar beets, honey, and maple syrup
• Lactose is when glucose and galactose are bonded together
• Milk is a major source of lactose
• Lactose intolerance is when a person cannot readily digest lactose
• Maltose is when glucose and another glucose molecule are bonded together
• It is important in the beer and liquor industry
• Small amounts of maltose are in some foods like fruits, vegetables, and breads

Polysaccharides

• Poly means many
• Polysaccharides may contain 1,000 or more glucose units bonded together in chains
• Starch, glycogen, and fiber are examples of polysaccharides
• Starch is mostly found in grains, vegetables, and fruits
• Plants store carbohydrates in 2 forms that are digestible by humans: amylose and amylopectin
• Amylose is 20% of digestible starch consumed
• Amylopectin is 80% of digestible starch consumed
• Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates and features a highly branched chain for quick energy
• The human body has about 1800 kcal of glycogen at any given time
• Glycogen storage sites are the liver (400 kcal), used to maintain blood glucose, and muscle (1400 kcal), used to fuel muscle cells, especially during high-intensity or endurance exercise
• Fiber differs from starches because the bonds holding the sugar units together are indigestible by humans and cannot be absorbed
• Plant foods naturally have occurring dietary fiber that combines both insoluble and soluble fiber in different proportions, which are in beans, peas, lentils, fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and wheat bran
• Whole grains, such as whole oats, brown rice, popcorn, and quinoa, contain fiber
• Food made with whole grain ingredients, such as breads, cereals, crackers, and pasta all contain fiber

Carbohydrates In Foods

• MyPlate nutrient-dense sources of carbohydrates include grains, vegetables, fruits, and dairy
• Rich sources of starch include plant-based foods like beans, potatoes, and grains
• Plant-based foods also provide micronutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber
• Soluble fiber can be found in the skins and flesh of many fruits and berries
• Soluble fibre acts as thickeners or stabilizers in jams, yogurts, sauces, and fillings
• Fibre is available as a supplement or as a functional fibre added to food
• The top sources of carbohydrates for US adults consists of sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and sweet snacks
• Dietary Guidelines recommends limiting added sugars to less than 10% of total calories per day

Carbohydrates in Foods - Whole Grains

• Dietary Guidelines: Make at least ½ of your grains whole
• Replace refined grains with whole grains
• Limit consumption of refined grains, especially those with added sugars, solid fats, and sodium
• Whole grains consist of the bran (main source of fiber in grains), endosperm, and germ
• Refined grains only contain endosperm
• When whole grain is used on a food package, the product must contain a minimum of 51% of whole grain ingredients by weight per serving
• Amaranth, barley, brown rice and wile rice, buckwheat, bulgar, millet, oats, popcorn, quinoa, dark rye, whole-grain cornmeal, whole-grain cereals and crackers, and whole-wheat bread are examples of whole grains
• Compared to refined grains, whole grains provide more dietary fiber, iron, and B-vitamins
• Consuming whole grains decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, some cancers, and obesity
• Whole grains maintain a healthy gut microbiota
• An estimated 98% of Americans, one year of age or older, do not meet whole grain recommendations

Carbohydrates in Foods - Vegetables

• Vegetables provide carbohydrates in the form of starch and fiber
• Vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories
• Vegetables provide nutrients, such as potassium, folate, Vitamin A and Vitamin C
• The Dietary Guidelines count any vegetable or 100% vegetable juice as a member of the vegetables group
• Dark-green, starchy, red and orange, beans/peas/lentils, and other are the five vegetable subgroups
• Roughly 90% of the U.S. population does not meet the Dietary Guidelines recommendations for vegetables

Carbohydrates in Foods - Fruit

• Fruits provide carbohydrates in the form of natural sugar and fiber
• The MyPlate food group includes whole fruits (canned, frozen, and dried forms) and 100% fruit juice
• About 80% of the U.S. population does not meet the fruit recommendations

Carbohydrates in Foods - Dairy

• The MyPlate dairy group includes fat-free and low-fat (1%) milk, yogurt, cheese, and fortified soy alternatives
• Plant-based dairy alternatives, such as almond, rice, coconut, oat, and hemp "milks," may or may not be fortified with calcium and vitamins A and D, and are typically lower in protein than cow's milk
• Foods made from milk that are primarily fat, such as cream cheese, cream, and butter, are not included in the MyPlate dairy group
• Roughly 90% of the U.S. population does not meet the MyPlate dairy recommendations
• Dairy in the United States is often consumed in combination dishes high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars
• Pasta dishes made with cream can be high in sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars

Carbohydrates in Foods - Nutritive Sweeteners

• Sugars include high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), honey, agave nectar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, and maple syrup
• Brown sugar is sucrose & molasses
• Turbinado is raw sugar, or partially refined raw sucrose
• Maple syrup is a concentrated sugar from maple tree sap
• Most syrup are commercial "maple" syrups, which are corn syrup and HFCS with flavoring
• Nutritive sweeteners provide calories; these include monosaccharides and disaccharides
• Dietary Guidelines recommends a reduction of calories from added sugars to no more than 10% of calories per day
• The average intake of high sugar is almost 270 calories (13%) per day
• Nearly 40% of added sugars come from sugar-sweetened beverages
• The amount of added sugars present on must be mentioned on the Nutrition Facts label.
• High Fructose Corn Syrup(HFCS) can be found in a wide variety of foods; its is a sweetener with 55% fructose (sucrose has 50% fructose)
• Made by treating cornstarch with acid and enzymes

Advantages of Using HFCS

• Low cost
• Broad range of food-processing applications
• Ease of transport
• Shelf stability
• Improved food properties
• No metabolic of endocrine response differences between HFCS and sucrose exists for obesity or adverse health outcomes
• Honey is plant nectar altered by bee enzymes and is fructose and glucose.
• Honey is unsafe for infants because spores from bacterium Clostridium botulinum can cause illness.
• Consuming local honey can increase the number of white blood cells, thereby improving the immune system
• Agave Nectar comes from the plant used to make tequila
• It is highly processed and sweeter than granular sugar, meaning less can be used
• Alternative sweeteners include alternative, artificial, high-intensity, low-calorie, or nonnutritive sweeteners
• All yields few or no calories (in amounts typically used)
• These types of sweeteners are regulated as food additives and unless Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS)
• Acesulfame-K, Advantame, Allulose, Aspartame (Equal), Saccharin (Sweet 'N Low), Stevia, and Sucralose are several artificial sweeteners currently available in the United States

Making Carbohydrates Available for Body Use

• Food preparation starts the digestion process
• Starch digestion begins in the mouth but only as a minor contribution through the presence of salivary amylase which breaks down starch into disaccharides.
• Salivary amylase is deactivated by stomach acid
• Carbohydrate digestion occurs in the small intestine from an Alkaline environment
• Enzymes are released from the pancreas, such as pancreatic amylase, which breaks down polysaccharides into di- and monosaccharides
• Enzymes attached to intestinal cells digest disaccharides to monosaccharides
• Maltase acts on maltose
• Sucrase acts on sucrose
• Lactase acts on lactose

Lactose Intolerance

• Lactose maldigestion is result of deficient production of lactase enzymes that effects 68% of the world's population
• Symptoms of bacterial fermentation include Bloating, Abdominal pain (cramping), Gas, Diarrhea
• Symptoms can be managed through Use of low-lactose dairy products or lactase-containing products (e.g., aged cheeses, yogurt) and lactase supplements
• Fibre is indigestible, adding bulk to the stool acting as a stimulator for intestinal muscles improving bowl movements acting an an attractant to water to soften the stool
• Health Risk of excess Fiber, at or above 60g, causing intestinal blockages decreasing mineral availability.
• Fiber may be the main reason why there is a lower lower risk of colon cancer due to increased fiber intake for fiber-rich foods

Putting Carbohydrates to Work in the Body

• Supply calories to fuel the body (4 kcal/g) and red blood cells can only use simple carbohydrates
• The brain and central nervous system use glucose but can use ketone bodies
• Muscles are can draw from glucose while being able to fuel with fat and proteins also
• Adequate carbohydrate intake spares protein from being used as a as an energy source and prevents ketosis
• When carbohydrates are limited, Proteins get converted to glucose losing original function
• Any weight loss should be balance in reference to the the recommended Diatery intake
• Thereputic Ketogenic Diets have been found to reduce and prevent seizures in patients suffering from epileps

Regulating Blood Glucose

• Maintained to very narrow range by the liver and pancreas, when high, the pancreas releases insulin that stores glucose as glycogen in the liver and directs the movement of glucose to tissue that needs it
• The pancreases can release GlucaGon during times of low glucose and keeps levels from becoming too low and prompts the liver to break down glucagon into glucose.

Carbohydrate Needs

• Carbohydrate RDA is 130 grams/day
• RDA Carbohydates are needed by the Brain and central nervous system because it can not readily draw from ketosis when a constant energy supply is needed, exceeding the minimum Carbohydrate intake level is fine
• As per The Food and Nutrition Board recommends 45%-65% of calories should come from carbohydrates
• High levels of blood sugar results in Hyperglycemia and Low levels in Hypoglycemia
• Diabetes is a medical condition effecting 10.5% of US based adults and >21% are not away
• Screenning adult over age 45 ever 3 years is recommened through testing because people may be asympomatic
• Long term blood glucose control is measusred with hemoglobin A1c test with a HbA1c ≥ 6.5% often resulting to diagnosing diabetes
• Pre-diabetes is a condition for individual not with elevated levels above normal from impaired glucose tolerance. Changing diet and engaging in physical activity can improve this.
• Types of Diabetes are split into two categories, Type 1 usually showing juvenile onset, and type 2, usually adult onset, and gestational diabetes
• Type 1 is insulin dependent and reduced insulin from the body
• Type 2 non insulin dependent, genetics and environmental risks

Diabetes Treatments

• Reaching a safe weight, medicine can be used to trigger insuilin, as we as a combination of regular dietary paterrns and phyisical exercise
• Medical team can encoporse plans for nutritous plant based food, decreasing addred sugars and saturated fats, recommending 25-38g of daily fibers

Hypoglycemia Symptoms

• Include Shakiness, sweating, Anxiety, and Hunger
• Latent symptoms reslut from Insuficent glucose reaching the Brain from Confusion, Fatique and potential siexures

Explore the health benefits of potatoes, including their positive impact on gut and heart health due to potassium content. Learn about energy sources during exercise and optimal pre-event snacks for athletes. Also covers liver functions during fasting and carbohydrate content in various foods.