Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates(CHO) are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in different combinations. CHO are made in photosynthesis process in plant tissues and they are widespread all over the nature, due to represent the most important food for the biggest part of world population.

Carbohydrates are, according to chemical structure, divided into four groups:

• Monosaccharides( glucose, fructose and galactose)
• Disaccharides(saccharose, lactose and maltose)
• Oligosaccharides
• Polysaccharides(maltodextrines, starch, glycogen and diet fibers)

Monosaccharides represent these carbohydrates that cannot be hydrolyzed into simplier forms. In human nutrition, the most important are hexosis, and among them glucose. Only glucose in muscle fibers can be used for energy gaining, while fructose and galactose have to be recently converted into glucose.

While fructose is present in fruit, galactose is released through milk sugar decomposition.

Disaccharides are compounds made of two monosaccharides molecules. Disaccharides and monosaccharides are often called simple sugars. Saccharose is the most often disaccharide in nutrition(20-25%, usually more of daily energy intake of normal human). This disaccharide is made of glucose and fructose, and it is found in white sugar, yellow sugar and honey. Maltose, that is very little represented in nutrition, is found in groceries like bear, cereals and seed germs.

Oligosaccharides are made of 3-9 combinations of monosaccharides, and they are present in various vegetables.

Polysaccharides are made of combination of 10 and more monosaccharides. Chains that are contained of 10-20 monosaccharides create maltodextrines. Starch, glycogen and diet fibers are made of over 1000 monosaccharide molecules.

Starch is complex carbohydrate and it is found in groceries like bananas, potato, seeds, rice, corn, and various cereals from which are made bread, bons and pasta. There are two types of starch – amilopectine and amylase. Starch that contains more amilopectine is digested and absorbed faster, different from starch which has bigger contain of amylase. Starch should be around 50% of total daily calorie intake.

Glycogen has more branchy structure compared to starch. Carbohydrates are deposited only in the shape of glycogen in animal tissues.

Fibers or structural starch, cannot be deposited and absorbed in human gastrointestinal tract. Except of cellulose, this group also contatins hemicellulose and pectine.

Carbohydrates that are the most often contained in drinks for athletes are: glucose, fructose, saccharose, maltodextrines and starch(amilopectine).

Groceries that enable carbohydrates intake

The biggest daily intake of carbohydrates comes from the two most important grocery groups – Bread- Cereals and Vegetables- Fruit. Groceries like meat, milk, seeds and stone fruit contain moderate amount of carbohydrates.  

Carbohydrates containment and energy value in some groceries(Clark, Nancy)
Grocery	Amount		CHO(g)	Total calories
Fruit
Apple	1 medium size		20	80
Orange	1 medium size		15	65
Banana	1 medium size		25	105
Raisins	1/3 cup		40	15
Appricot, dried	10 halves		20	85
Vegetables
Corn, frozen	1 cup		15	70
Pumpkin	1 cup		15	60
Tomato, sauce	1 cup		10	95
Peas	1 cup		10	60
Carrot	1 medium, large		10	40
Beans	1 cup		5	20
Broccoli	1 cup		5	20
Zucchini	1 cup		2	10
Bons
White(rolls)	one piece		31	165
Cooky pastry	one piece		25	130
Pancakes	7-10cm		35	185
Drinks
Appricot, nectar	240ml		35	140
Corneliean cherries, juice		240ml	36	145
Apple, juice	240ml		30	120
Orange, juice	240ml		25	105
Gatorade	240ml		14	50
Cola	360ml		39	155
Beer	360ml		13	145
Milk, chocolate	240ml		25	180
Milk, 2% milk fat	240ml		12	120
Starches, pasta, grains
Potato, baked	one big		50	220
Beans, baked	one cup		50	260
Lens, cooked	one cup		40	230
Spaghetti, cooked	one cup		40	200
Rice, cooked	one cup		45	200
Deserts, sweets
Strawberry jam	1 spoon		13	50
Honey	1 spoon		15	60
Yoghurt, fruit	1 cup		50	225

Groceries like cookies, cakes, sweets and honey, contain very big amount of carbohydrates, but this is mostly simple sugars that should be reducted in nutrition. Simple sugars become absorbed in intestines very quickly, and lead to glucose level increase in the blood(glycemia), what leads to fast release of insulin, by which activity comes to glucose entrance in the cells(hypoglycemia). It is shown that maintaining of glycemia stabile level leads to better result in physically high active people, so the advantage is given to polysaccharides.

"Athletes' nutrition", Marina Djordjevic Nikic 

"Sports nutrition", Nancy Clark