Course Module

NCM 105
Nutrition and Diet Therapy
 Lesson Module 3:

MACRONUTRIENTS:
CARBOHYDRATES

Alicia Lonzame-Lopena, RN MAN

Maria Seniz Calma, RN MAN
Key nutrients in food sustain life and promote health.
Nutrients are compounds in foods which performs three (3)
basic functions within the body:
1. provide energy
2. build body tissues
3. regulate metabolic processes

6 major nutrients : carbohydrate, proteins, fats, vitamins,

minerals and water

(Audio)
Lesson Module Content
1. Carbohydrate as a basic fuel source
2. Classification of carbohydrates
3. Functions of carbohydrates
4. Food sources of carbohydrates
5. Digestion of carbohydrates
6. Dietary recommendations
Lesson Module Objectives
At the end of the lesson, the following objectives
should be attained:
1. Discuss the nature of carbohydrates
2. Enumerate the functions of carbohydrates
3. Explain the digestive breakdown of carbohydrates
4. List some common food sources of carbohydrates
5. Calculate caloric and percentage requirement of
carbohydrate in a given scenario
 2 Major Categories of
Nutrients

Macronutrients Micronutrients

Carbohydrates Fats Protein Vitamins Minerals

Water
Needed in large
amount. Body needs it in
Needed daily. small amount.
Noncaloric
Energy provided essential
nutrients.
is measured in
calories

MACRONUTRIENTS MICRONUTRIENTS
Carbohydrates
Main and quick source of energy.
Energy is necessary for life-
provides power to do work,
constant supply is important.
Our body needs energy to survive
and to perform daily activities.
Walking
Beating of the heart
Body movements
Contraction and relaxation of
muscles
Peristaltic movements of our G.I
tract
 Carbohydrate in food is converted into glucose
and absorb then carried through the circulation,
goes into the cell where energy in the form of
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is released
through the process of metabolism.
Some of all chemical changes in the cell that
ultimately produce the materials that are
essential for energy, tissue building and
metabolic control.
NATURE OF CARBOHYDRATE
(Carbohydrate - 3 components)
C- carbon
H- hydrogen
O- oxygen
Foods rich in CHO are:
1. Widely available, easily grown- grains, legumes,
vegetables, fruits.
2. Relatively low cost
3. Easily stored
4. Modern processing/packing can extend the shelf
life of CHO
CHO are classified according to the # of sugar
units (saccharide)
1. Monosaccharide – one sugar unit
2. Disaccharide – two sugar units
3. Polysaccharide – many sugar units
Carbohydrates are classified also as:
4. Simple CHO – monosaccharide and
disaccharide
5. Complex CHO – polysaccharides
Monosaccharide – one sugar unit, requires no digestion,
quickly absorbed and transported to the liver, may be
stored as glycogen for later use.
A. Glucose- primary fuel of cells, comes from digestion of
starch.
B. Fructose- primarily found in fruits and honey
Sweetest of the simple sugar. Corn syrup- high in fructose. Glucose in
corn starch is change into fructose, Canned and frozen fruits, soft
drinks, processed food products- are very high in fructose.
C. Galactose- product of lactose digestion- milk sugar.
Disaccharides - have 2 units of
sugar linked together
A. Sucrose - Glucose + fructose -
table sugar
different forms- granulated sugar,
powdered sugar, molasses, brown
sugar- made from sugar cane
B. Lactose - sugar in milk.
Glucose + Galactose
formed in mammary glands, not found
in plants, less sweet, remains in the
intestine longer than other sugar.
Human milk- 7 % lactose
Cows milk- 4.8 % lactose
C. Maltose - not usually found in the
diet. Derived from the digestive
breakdown of starch. Compose of
glucose+ glucose( 1 unit each)
Polysaccharides - many sugar
units.
A. Starch- most significant in the
diet. Found in grains, legumes,
vegetables and in some fruits.
Starch have complex structure-
breakdown slowly, supply energy for
a longer period. For starch to be
used- outer membrane has to be
broken down by grinding or cooking.
Cooking starch- improves flavor,
softens the starch- making digestion
easy.
Starch - most important
dietary CHO worldwide.
Major food sources- grains,
cereals, pasta, crackers, bread,
baked goods. Legumes in the
from of beans, peas, potatoes,
rice, corn and bulgar.
Vegetables- root variety
whole grains- unrefined, they
retain their outer layers and
their nutrients
During the refining process, some nutrients are
removed. Grains are enriched by adding
additional nutrients like minerals, zinc, vitamins
and phosphorus.
Example: Ready to eat breakfast cereals
B. Glycogen - formed in body tissues and
important for body metabolism and energy
balance
Stored in the liver/ muscles
Used for immediate energy needs.
Sustain normal blood glucose provide fuel for muscle
action
C. Dietary fibers - divided into 2 groups
based on solubility
Non-water soluble – cellulose/ hemicellulose/
lignin
Water soluble – pectin, gums, mucilage, algae.
Water soluble fibers have the ability to bind
bile acids and thus lower blood cholesterol
levels.
The insoluble fibers – recommended for relief
of constipation. It remains undigested in the
GIT. It adds bulk to the diet. Helps move food
mass along and stimulates normal muscle
action in the intestines. Forms feces.
Main source - stems, leaves
of vegetables, covering of
seeds and grains. Stems
(brocolli), fruits with edible
seeds (strawberries),
flaxseeds (good in lowering
cholesterol)
Soluble fibers - absorb
water, binds bile acids
including cholesterol, and
provides bulk for normal
muscle action of the GIT.
The Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine
have recommended the following.
RDI of fiber for men and women 50 years old or
younger - 38 and 25g/day. For men and women
older than 50 years old - RDI is 30 and 21 g/day

Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) – the recommended daily

allowances of nutrients and energy intake for population groups
according to age and gender with defined weight and height.
Non-nutritive sweetener-sweeteners
that are artificial. Do not provide any
kcal- with sweet taste. Ex. Splenda,
Equal, Nutrasweet, Sweet Additions.

Functions of CHO
A. Basic fuel supply, burns in the
body at a rate of 4kcal/g
B. Provides reserve fuel supply-
stored as glycogen- blood glucose
level- to ensure brain function. If
no refueling- amount of available
glucose in the muscle can only
provide enough energy for 1-2
hours of aerobic activity.
C. Serve special functions in body tissues. Helps
regulate fat & protein metabolism. This is the
anti- ketogenic effect. If the supply of CHO is
sufficient- fat is not utilized. If fat is used-
there is rapid breakdown of fats – resulting to
production of ketones.
Ketones are strong acids- results to ketoacidosis- the
normal acid –base balance is upset – cellular
damage.
D. For major functioning of the CNS- brain has
no stored supply of glucose. It depends on
the supply of glucose from the blood. Shock
from low blood sugar – brain damage- coma-
death.
DIGESTION OF CARBOHYDRATES
2 major processes involved in the
digestion of carbohydrate: Mechanical
and Chemical
A. Mouth- 2 actions occurs-
mechanical and chemical
mechanical- break down of food into
smaller particles.
chemical- specific enzymes breaks the
nutrients into smaller usable metabolic
products.
As food is broken down- mixes with
saliva- salivary enzyme ptyalin (parotid
glands) acts on the starch to break it
down to dextrin and disaccharide
CHO in the form of monosaccharide travel to the
stomach and small intestine with out further
digestion.
B. Stomach- mechanical process- peristaltic
movement- further mixes food with gastric
secretion to facilitate chemical digestion. HCL
acids + muscle action continues to mix the
food mass- moves it to the lower part of
stomach. Food mass becomes thick and
creamy – chyme.
C. Small intestine- peristalsis continues- chyme moves
along the whole length of the small intestine. Chemical
digestion is completed by enzymes from the intestine
and pancreas. Pancreatic amylase enters the duodenum
thru the common bile duct- this breakdowns the starch
disaccharide and monosaccharides
Enzymes from the intestinal microvilli - sucrase,
lactase, and maltase- acts on the disaccharide to
render monosaccharide glucose, galactose and
fructose ready for absorption in the portal blood
circulation.
If there is deficiency of lactase – lactose
intolerance. S/S- bloating, gas in the stomach,
abdominal pain, diarrhea.
75 % of adults have lactose intolerance.
Recommendations for carbohydrate (DRI)
45-65% of an adult caloric intake should
come from CHO foods.
A person who is on a 2000kcal/day diet-
225-325 grams of CHO.
Solving for Body Mass Index ( BMI )
BMI is the body weight in kilograms divided by the
square of the height in meters. It is a helpful
assessment tool throughout the life cycle. Knowing
the BMI, It will help you determine the weight
status of your patient and even yourself.

Body mass index classification

1. 18.5-24.9-normal
2. 25-29.9-overweight
3. 30-35-obes3
4. > 40-clinically or morbidly obese
BMI FORMULA
 SUMMARY
Let us summarize some important key points and concepts:
The primary source and the fastest source of energy is carbohydrate
foods
Foods rich in CHO are from widely distributed plant sources like
grains, legume, fruits and vegetables
CHO food products are relatively low in cost and can be stored easily
Thera are 2 basic types of CHO: simple and complex
Simple CHO are easy to digest and absorb
Complex CHO breaks down slowly and thus provide sustained energy
Dietary fibers are complex CHO that is not digestible and provides
bulk in the diet.
CHO digestion starts briefly in the mouth with the initial action of the
enzyme Amylase
 LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1. Watch a video about carbohydrate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgh529W1V5g

2. Determine your height and weight, then compute your

body mass index using the formula. Determine your weight
status. Show your computation when you post it in the
Google classroom.
NEXT LESSON MODULE
Lesson Module 4 – Macronutrients:
Fats
 ASSESSMENT

A test will be posted in the

Google classroom after the
discussion of Macronutrients
(Carbohydrate, Fats & Protein).
 REFERENCES / RESOURCES
• Nix, S. Williams Basic Nutrition and Diet Therapy.
14th Ed.
• Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgh529W1V5g
• Available:
https://evolve.Elsevier.com/Williams/basic/