What are carbohydrates and what makes some complex?
Organic compounds are the building blocks of all life on the planet and these are made primarily of carbon and hydrogen atoms and usually (but not always) oxygen.
Carbohydrates (organic compounds also called saccharides) are molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The three types talked about relative to dietary health are monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. Translating these to simple terms, the higher the number of saccharides, the harder the body has to work to break them down.
Mono = single. Monosaccharides are simple chemical chains such as glucose and fructose.
Dis = twice. Disaccharides are chains made of two sets of monosaccharides linked together by a chemical bond. Some of these are called sucrose and lactose.
Poly = many. Polysaccharides are chains made of many sets of linked monosaccharides. Some of these are called starch and glycogen.
So what do they do?
Carbohydrates are used for many things, below we will look at the energy function but it must be noted that they are very important for the body as a whole.
- They are used in the production of DNA and RNA
- They modify proteins and fats (lipids)
- They aid in the transport of hormones throughout the body by binding with protein
Monosaccharides
These are water soluble – essentially the sugar that disappears in hot drinks. The solubility of this compound makes it easy for it to absorb into cells which in turn produces energy.
The components of monosaccharides being carbon, hydrogen and oxygen are also used in the production of DNA.
Disaccharides
These are the sugars found in nature – sucrose in fruits, maltose in plants, bacteria and yeast and lactose in milk. Disaccharides are soluble in water but their breakdown into useable energy takes a longer process via the small intestine.
The link between lactose intolerance and irritable bowel issues comes where the lactose is not broken down in the small intestine and then it moves to the large intestine and produces excess gas which leads to nasty IBS symptoms. Maltose, having the same intestinal breakdown requirement as lactose can also produce IBS symptoms.
Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides are a way that energy is stored by plants and also gives plant cells their protective outer coating and structure (cellulose). Some plant starches are broken down in the body to form glycogen. Other starches such as cellulose cannot be broken down – which is why you can’t digest peas or sweetcorn unless you chew them!
Energy use and storage
The body does not store carbohydrates very efficiently and so it will try and use the energy from them before other food. Glycogen (made from glucose – the simple monosaccharide or the broken down polysaccharide) is stored in the liver and muscles when it has not been used. When the body needs a quick shot of energy, or to maintain a steady flow of energy, the liver releases the glycogen for use.
Unused carbohydrate molecules are fixed to a fatty acid in the liver to form triglycerides. This is your really long term energy storage of fat.
Simply put – the body will break down any form of carbohydrate into glucose to use as energy. This is stored as glycogen and can be a quick use or long term use energy source. If you don’t use your glycogen it mixes with other molecules to be stored as fat so your body has extra reserves when you don’t get to eat properly – remember, our evolution is based on the seasons and therefore on food abundance in spring/summer and starvation in autumn/winter. Your fat however won’t easily burn if you don’t eat – there are hormones to stop quick reduction of fat (for the starvation months).. watch out for another blog about this!
In a nutshell
Simple plain sugar is your quick fix but will be short-lived. Fruit, bacteria and dairy sugar will take longer to kick in and starch is the reserve energy.
Test your energy stores by doing a long walk or a lot of quick exercise until you feel quite tired. The first amount of energy you use will be your glycogen stores. Once you have recovered WITHOUT eating anything, you will be using your reserve energy. You may also find yourself hungry because your body will want to replenish your reserves. Warning = please don’t do this if you have any form of long term illness, a heart condition or are diabetic.
What can the Garden Clinic do for carbs?
Nothing! Carbs are your friend and very important in a healthy and varied diet. If you decide on a weight loss program, Osteopathy can help you by either getting your body moving with a lymphatic drainage treatment or by helping with any aches or pains that are stopping you moving. Whilst we cannot help with your personal relationship with food, Spiritual Counselling may be beneficial to improve the “inner-you” which may in turn, help improve the “outer-you”.
If in doubt, give us a call – if we don’t have the answers we can always guide you to those that do.
Shelley James
M.Ost