Test Your Knowledge of Carbohydrates

Study Notes

Carbohydrates include both simple sugars and more complex carbohydrates.
Simple sugars provide us with energy and are a natural source of sweetness.
Unhealthy diets high in simple sugars are associated with an increased risk for diseases like obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease.
Added sugars are the sugars that get added to foods, and they can come from a variety of sources.
Sugar refers to a family of molecules that includes monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Starches are polysaccharides with molecular bonds between sugar molecules, and they are the most abundant type of carbohydrate found in food.
Glucose is the most important member of the sugar family and it is able to cross the blood brain barrier.
Fructose is another monosaccharide and is found in honey, fruits, and root vegetables.
Milk sugar, galactose, and lactose are examples of monosaccharides that are found in nature.
Sucrose is a disaccharide and is found in various fruits and vegetables.
Maltose is another disaccharide and is found in molasses.
Complex carbohydrates are oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and starches.
Carbohydrates are composed of monosaccharides, which are linked together through glycosidic bonding.
Starches don't taste sweet and are an important source of calories.
Dietary fibers are carbohydrates that intestinal enzymes can't break down, and so the body can't digest them.
Monosaccharides link together through glycosidic bonding, and when eaten, are broken down into their component monosaccharides for absorption into the body.
Glucose levels in the blood rise after eating carbohydrates, and the hormone insulin is released to help move the glucose into the cells and into the liver.
Insulin helps promote fat and protein synthesis.
Galactose is converted into glucose by the liver, and fructose is handled differently and is mostly broken down into two 3-carbon molecules.
The glycemic index is a measure of how blood glucose levels rise after eating 50 grams of available carbohydrates.
Foods with a high glycemic index are foods with the types of carbohydrates that are broken down and absorbed quickly, cause a quicker rise in blood glucose, and therefore have a higher glycemic index.
Although foods with high sucrose or fructose content would not have a high glycemic index score, foods with more fiber, fat, and protein generally result in a slower rise in blood glucose and have a lower glycemic index.
The glycemic load and glycemic index are tools mainly used in research settings to identify which foods may have a greater impact on people with impaired glucose metabolism and their relationships with health outcomes are still being investigated.

Description

This quiz will help you learn about carbohydrates and how they are important for your health. The quiz includes questions about simple sugars and added sugars, starches, and complex carbohydrates. It also includes questions about the glycemic index and glycemic load, which are measures of how quickly blood glucose levels rise after eating carbohydrates.