What Is Glucose?
Starches, sugars and fiber are the carbohydrates in food. Carbohydrates are a molecule that plants make during photosynthesis, combining carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They are very important in your body's metabolism because they are generally the part of food that is digested most quickly. Carbohydrates can give you quick energy, and cause a rise in blood sugar levels. Diabetics, in particular, need to pay attention to the carbohydrates they eat to help manage their blood sugar. Some carbohydrates, those found in whole grains and leafy vegetables, for example have a much slower impact on blood sugar than carbohydrates in fruits or candy. It's easy to consume a lot of carbohydrates, as foods like breads, pasta, cake, cookies and potatoes are loaded with them. Nutrition experts suggest that you should only get 45 to 65 percent of your daily nutrition from carbohydrates. Continue reading >>
- Exercise and Glucose Metabolism in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: Perspectives on the Role for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Postprandial Blood Glucose Is a Stronger Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Than Fasting Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Particularly in Women: Lessons from the San Luigi Gonzaga Diabetes Study
- Exercise and Blood Glucose Levels
What You Need To Know About Carbs
Carbohydrates, or saccharides, are biomolecules. The four major classes of biomolecules are carbohydrates, proteins, nucleotides, and lipids. Carbohydrates are the most abundant of the four. Also known as "carbs," carbohydrates have several roles in living organisms, including energy transportation. They are also structural components of plants and insects. Carbohydrate derivatives are involved in reproduction, the immune system, the development of disease, and blood clotting. Contents of this article: "Saccharide" is another word for "carbohydrate." Foods high in carbohydrates include bread, pasta, beans, potatoes, rice, and cereals. One gram of carbohydrate contains approximately 4 kilocalories High glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates quickly enter the bloodstream as glucose Switching to a low-GI diet improves the chance of a healthy weight and lifestyle What are carbohydrates? Carbohydrates, also known as saccharides or carbs, are sugars or starches. They are a major food source and a key form of energy for most organisms. They consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Two basic compounds make up carbohydrates: Aldehydes: These are double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms, plus a hydrogen atom. Ketones: These are double-bonded carbon and oxygen atoms, plus two additional carbon atoms. Carbs can combine together to form polymers, or chains. These polymers can function as: long-term food storage molecules protective membranes for organisms and cells the main structural support for plants Most organic matter on earth is made up of carbohydrates. They are involved in many aspects of life. Types of carbohydrate There are various types of carbohydrate. They include monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides This is the smallest possible sugar unit Continue reading >>
Protein Controversies In Diabetes
Diabetes SpectrumVolume 13 Number 3, 2000, Page 132 Marion J. Franz, MS, RD, LD, CDE In Brief People with diabetes are frequently given advice about protein that has no scientific basis. In addition, although weight is lost when individuals follow a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet, there is no evidence that such diets are followed long-term or that there is less recidivism than with other low-calorie diets. People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are in poor metabolic control may have increased protein requirements. However, the usual amount of protein consumed by people with diabetes adequately compensates for the increased protein catabolism. People with diabetes need adequate and accurate information about protein on which to base their food decisions. In the United States, ~16% of the average adult consumption of calories is from protein, and this has varied little from 1909 to the present.1 Protein intake is also fairly consistent across all ages from infancy to older age. A daily intake of 2,500 calories contributes ~100 g of protein—about twice what is needed to replace protein lost on a daily basis. Excess amino acids must be converted into other storage products or oxidized as fuel. Therefore, in theory, the excess ingested protein could, through the process of gluconeogenesis, produce glucose. This would mean that 100 g of protein could produce ~50 g of glucose. This has been the basis of the statement that if about half of ingested protein is converted to glucose, protein will have one-half the effect of carbohydrate on blood glucose levels. However, this belief has been challenged.2-4 Protein controversies exist either because research has not provided conclusive answers or because professionals are not aware of the research. This article will review Continue reading >>
Sources Of Glucose
Our bodies convert food into energy. Although we get energy and calories from carbohydrate, protein, and fat, our main source of energy is from carbohydrate. Our bodies convert carbohydrate into glucose, a type of sugar. See Illustration: How Food Affects Blood Sugar Many foods contain a combination of carbohydrate, protein, and fat. The amount of each in the food we eat affects how quickly our bodies change that food into glucose. This is how different foods affect how our blood sugar levels: Carbohydrate: Includes bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, vegetables, fruit, sugar, yogurt, and milk. Our bodies change 100 percent of the carbohydrate we eat into glucose. This affects our blood sugar levels quickly, within an hour or two after eating Protein: Includes fish, meat, cheese, and peanut butter. Although our bodies change some of the protein we eat into glucose, most of this glucose is stored in our liver and not released into our bloodstream. Eating protein usually has very little impact on blood sugar. Fat: Includes butter, salad dressing, avocado, olive oil. We turn less than 10 percent of the fat we eat into glucose. The glucose from fat is absorbed slowly and it won't cause an immediate rise in blood sugar. Even though we don't get much glucose from fat, a meal that's high in fat can affect how fast our bodies digest carbohydrate. Because fat slows down the digestion of carbohydrate, it also slows down the rise in blood sugar levels. This sometimes can cause a high blood sugar level several hours after eating. For some people, this delayed reaction can be quite a surprise. For example, after eating a meal high in fat, a person might have a blood sugar reading that's close to normal before going to bed. But the next morning, he or she might have a fasting blood sugar t Continue reading >>
- Exercise and Glucose Metabolism in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: Perspectives on the Role for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Postprandial Blood Glucose Is a Stronger Predictor of Cardiovascular Events Than Fasting Blood Glucose in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Particularly in Women: Lessons from the San Luigi Gonzaga Diabetes Study
- Exercise and Blood Glucose Levels
Protein: Metabolism And Effect On Blood Glucose Levels.
Abstract Insulin is required for carbohydrate, fat, and protein to be metabolized. With respect to carbohydrate from a clinical standpoint, the major determinate of the glycemic response is the total amount of carbohydrate ingested rather than the source of the carbohydrate. This fact is the basic principle of carbohydrate counting for meal planning. Fat has little, if any, effect on blood glucose levels, although a high fat intake does appear to contribute to insulin resistance. Protein has a minimal effect on blood glucose levels with adequate insulin. However, with insulin deficiency, gluconeogenesis proceeds rapidly and contributes to an elevated blood glucose level. With adequate insulin, the blood glucose response in persons with diabetes would be expected to be similar to the blood glucose response in persons without diabetes. The reason why protein does not increase blood glucose levels is unclear. Several possibilities might explain the response: a slow conversion of protein to glucose, less protein being converted to glucose and released than previously thought, glucose from protein being incorporated into hepatic glycogen stores but not increasing the rate of hepatic glucose release, or because the process of gluconeogenesis from protein occurs over a period of hours and glucose can be disposed of if presented for utilization slowly and evenly over a long time period. Continue reading >>
- Effect of Probiotics on Glucose and Lipid Metabolism in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Meta-Analysis of 12 Randomized Controlled Trials
- World's first diabetes app will be able to check glucose levels without drawing a drop of blood and will be able to reveal what a can of coke REALLY does to sugar levels
- Exercise and Glucose Metabolism in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: Perspectives on the Role for Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Carbohydrates And Lipids
Macromolecules of Life: Readings: Starr, Chapter 3 pages 34-35, 38-41. Don't forget This Week's WarmUp and Good For Trans Fats 101: What are some of the health effects of partially hydrogenated oils like margerine and shortening? The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid. - Gilbert Keith Chesterton, 1864-1936 I. Living matter is made of cells, but what are cells made of? Cells are made of molecules based on based on 4 main chemical elements: carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen (plus lots of other elements) and the many compounds that can be made from combining these elements. Cells put the chemical "building blocks" C, O, H, and N (and others) together to make useful molecules for food and energy that allow them to perform the 5 functions of life. Enzymatic reactions inside cells join together small organic molecules (monomers; building blocks) to form large molecules (polymers) by a process called dehydration synthesis, to make Macromolecules: The 4 main macromolecules in cells made largely from C, O, H, and N are Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids. For each of these 4 macromolecules, I would like you to know: 1. What the monomer (basic building block) is 2. What types of polymers result 3. What the functions of each macromolecule are in cells. II. Carbohydrates (sugars, starches, cellulose) Made from joining H2O and CO2 by plants during photosynthesis (we will discuss this on February 12) Monomer: Simple sugars: CH2O (ratio of one carbon and one oxygen to every 2 hydrogens) Bread, cereal, potatoes, fruits, vegetables, and pasta = are made mostly of carbohydrates (sugars and starches). Three main functions: energy for cells, structural support, cell-cell communication 1. A. Monosaccharides (simple Continue reading >>
Carbohydrates: What They Are, Where Theyre Found, How Theyre Used
Foods high in carbohydrates include breads, fruits and vegetables, as well as milk products. Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches and fibers found in fruits, grains, vegetables and milk products. Though often maligned in trendy diets, carbohydrates one of the basic food groups are important to a healthy life. "Carbohydrates are macronutrients, meaning they are one of the three main ways the body obtains energy, or calories," said Paige Smathers , a Utah-based registered dietitian. The American Diabetes Association notes that carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. They are called carbohydrates because, at the chemical level, they contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. There are three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fats, Smathers said. Macronutrients are essential for proper body functioning, and the body requires large amounts of them. All macronutrients must be obtained through diet; the body cannot produce macronutrients on its own. The recommended daily amount (RDA) of carbs for adults is 135 grams, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH); however, the NIH also recommends that everyone should have his or her own carbohydrate goal. Carb intake for most people should be between 45 and 65 percent of total calories. One gram of carbohydrates equals about 4 calories, so a diet of 1,800 calories per day would equal about 202 grams on the low end and 292 grams of carbs on the high end. However, people with diabetes should not eat more than 200 grams of carbs per day, while pregnant women need at least 175 grams. Carbohydrates provide fuel for the central nervous system and energy for working muscles. They also prevent protein from being used as an energy source and enable fat metabolism, according to Iowa State University. Also, "carboh Continue reading >>
Is Glucose A Protein Or A Carbohydrate?
Answered Jan 17, 2019 Author has 1.9k answers and 947.9k answer views Glucose is the DEFINITION of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate literally means, hydrated carbon - or watered carbon. Glucoses chemical formula is C6H12O6 - thats 6 molecules of Carbon (C x 6 = C6) plus 6 molecules of water (H2O x 6 = H12O6) to make one molecule of glucose. Thats hydrated carbon, or watered carbon. Following is a little primer I wrote on the subject of glucose and carbohydrates - read on for a more detailed splanation. ALL carbohydrates are converted to glucose by our digestive systems. AS WELL as some proteins and fats (we get a LOT more glucose from carbs - but if you ea... Glucose is the DEFINITION of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate literally means, hydrated carbon - or watered carbon. Glucoses chemical formula is C6H12O6 - thats 6 molecules of Carbon (C x 6 = C6) plus 6 molecules of water (H2O x 6 = H12O6) to make one molecule of glucose. Thats hydrated carbon, or watered carbon. Following is a little primer I wrote on the subject of glucose and carbohydrates - read on for a more detailed splanation. ALL carbohydrates are converted to glucose by our digestive systems. AS WELL as some proteins and fats (we get a LOT more glucose from carbs - but if you eat NO carbs, youll still get enough glucose from the proteins and fats you eat). Carbs are a non-essential food. What we refer to as blood sugar is the sugar glucose. There are MANY types of sugars - glucose is just one of them. BUT its the most basic. It is a monosaccharide and is the most basic form of carbohydrate. Carbohydrate means hydrated carbon, or watered carbon. Glucose is comprised of 6 carbon molecules (C) plus 6 water molecules (H2O), as follows. 6xC=C6; 6xH2O = H12O6; for a total of C6H12O6. ALL carbohydrates are some variation on Continue reading >>
Do Our Bodies Convert All Food (fats, Carbs And Proteins) To Glucose, Or In Other Words, Do Our Cells Burn Anything Other Than Glucose?
Answered May 12, 2015 Author has 219 answers and 550.2k answer views Our body doesn't convert all the carbs, proteins and fat we eat to glucose! Carbohydrates: Only those carbohydrates which are digestible by our gut are used, remaining else (cellulose for that matter) remains in the gut, absorbs water and aids in proper digestion; the so called roughage. Yeah, the digested ones which may either give glucose, fructose or galactose as the final product, are all converted to glucose. Proteins: All amino acids obtained from the protein digestion are not converted to glucose, only a few of them are, remaining is converted to ketone bodies (another energy suppplier as glucose). Fats: Fats (neutral fats or triglycerides) are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol. From this, only glycerol and odd chain fatty acid (cf. even chain fatty acid) can produce glucose. So, what's with this compulsion of glucose to be present in the blood in the right quantity always? "Lest the brain will be starved, for it needs glucose from blood", you would have heard. Partly true because brain can live by utilizing ketone bodies as well. But for an optimal neurotransmitter (chemical signals aiding communication between two or more neurons) production Krebs cycle/ citric acid cycle should occur, which would be shunted when brain cells use ketone bodies, in contrary glucose would aid positively for krebs cycle to occur and produce intermediates which can be furthur be utilised for neurotransmitters production. Nevertheless, there are cells solely dependent on blood glucose for survival (RBCs eg), and these cells need to continuous supply of glucose for their survival. Continue reading >>
Do Fat And Protein Turn Into Glucose?
Sandi Busch received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, then pursued training in nursing and nutrition. She taught families to plan and prepare special diets, worked as a therapeutic support specialist, and now writes about her favorite topics nutrition, food, families and parenting for hospitals and trade magazines. Glucose keeps you energized.Photo Credit: Ridofranz/iStock/Getty Images When blood glucose gets low, your energy plummets and you may find it hard to concentrate. Your body can temporarily fill the gap by drawing on glucose stored in your liver, but those supplies are limited. When they run out, your body can produce glucose from fats and proteins. Fats are good for backup energy, but your body doesnt like to divert protein into energy due to its other vital functions. The best way to keep your body fueled is to consume the right amount of fats, proteins and carbs. Carbohydrates consist of molecules of sugar, which your body digests into glucose and uses for energy. When youre short on carbs, glucose can be created from fat and protein in a process called gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis takes place mostly in your liver, which also has the job of maintaining a steady amount of glucose in your blood. If blood sugar drops too low due to problems in the liver, your kidneys can boost blood sugar by converting the amino acid glutamine into glucose. The saturated and unsaturated fats in your diet consist of two substances bound together: glycerol and fatty acids. During digestion, they're separated, and each one follows a different path. Glycerol is easily metabolized and used to make glucose. Fatty acids are carried to tissues throughout your body, where they help build cell walls, produce hormones and digest fat-soluble nutrients. Fatty acids can be converted i Continue reading >>
Fat For Fuel: Why Dietary Fat, Not Glucose, Is The Preferred Body Fuel
Contrary to popular belief, glucose is NOT the preferred fuel of human metabolism; the fact is that burning dietary fat for fuel may actually be the key to optimal health Carbohydrate intake is the primary factor that determines your body's fat ratio, and processed grains and sugars (particularly fructose) are the primary culprits behind our skyrocketing obesity and diabetes rates According to experts, carbs should make up only 20 percent of your diet, while 50-70 percent of your diet should be healthy fats. Fat is far more satiating than carbs, so if you have cut down on carbs and feel ravenous, this is a sign that you need more healthy fat to burn for fuel By Dr. Mercola While we may consider ourselves to be at the pinnacle of human development, our modern food manufacturing processes have utterly failed at improving health and increasing longevity. During the Paleolithic period, many thousands of years ago, our ancestors ate primarily vegetables, fruit, nuts, roots and meat—and a wide variety of it. This diet was high in fats and protein, and low in grain- and sugar-derived carbohydrates. The average person's diet today, on the other hand, is the complete opposite, and the average person's health is a testament of what happens when you adhere to a faulty diet. Humans today suffer more chronic and debilitating diseases than ever before. And there can be little doubt that our food choices play a major role in this development. Quite simply, you were not designed to eat large amounts of refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cereal, bread, potatoes and pasteurized milk products. As Mark Sisson states in the featured article:1 "If you want to live a better life and eat the best foods nature provided for health and fitness, then it's time to ditch the old paradigms an Continue reading >>
How The Body Uses Carbohydrates, Proteins, And Fats
How the Body Uses Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats The human body is remarkably adept at making do with whatever type of food is available. Our ability to survive on a variety of diets has been a vital adaptation for a species that evolved under conditions where food sources were scarce and unpredictable. Imagine if you had to depend on successfully hunting a woolly mammoth or stumbling upon a berry bush for sustenance! Today, calories are mostly cheap and plentifulperhaps too much so. Understanding what the basic macronutrients have to offer can help us make better choices when it comes to our own diets. From the moment a bite of food enters the mouth, each morsel of nutrition within starts to be broken down for use by the body. So begins the process of metabolism, the series of chemical reactions that transform food into components that can be used for the body's basic processes. Proteins, carbohydrates , and fats move along intersecting sets of metabolic pathways that are unique to each major nutrient. Fundamentallyif all three nutrients are abundant in the dietcarbohydrates and fats will be used primarily for energy while proteins provide the raw materials for making hormones, muscle, and other essential biological equipment. Proteins in food are broken down into pieces (called amino acids) that are then used to build new proteins with specific functions, such as catalyzing chemical reactions, facilitating communication between different cells, or transporting biological molecules from here to there. When there is a shortage of fats or carbohydrates, proteins can also yield energy. Fats typically provide more than half of the body's energy needs. Fat from food is broken down into fatty acids, which can travel in the blood and be captured by hungry cells. Fatty aci Continue reading >>
Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, And Blood Sugar
Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats, and Blood Sugar The body uses three main nutrients to function carbohydrate , protein , and fat . These nutrients are digested into simpler compounds. Carbohydrates are used for energy (glucose). Fats are used for energy after they are broken into fatty acids. Protein can also be used for energy, but the first job is to help with making hormones, muscle, and other proteins. Nutrients needed by the body and what they are used for Broken down into glucose, used to supply energy to cells. Extra is stored in the liver. Broken down into amino acids , used to build muscle and to make other proteins that are essential for the body to function. Broken down into fatty acids to make cell linings and hormones . Extra is stored in fat cells. After a meal, the blood sugar (glucose) level rises as carbohydrate is digested. This signals the beta cells of the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin helps glucose enter the body's cells to be used for energy. If all the glucose is not needed for energy, some of it is stored in fat cells and in the liver as glycogen. As sugar moves from the blood to the cells, the blood glucose level returns to a normal between-meal range. Several hormones and processes help regulate the blood sugar level and keep it within a certain range (4.0 mmol/L to 7.0 mmol/L). When the blood sugar level falls below that range, which may happen between meals, the body has at least three ways of reacting: Cells in the pancreas can release glucagon , a hormone that signals the body to produce glucose from glycogen in the muscles and liver and release it into the blood. When glycogen is used up, muscle protein is broken down into amino acids. The liver uses amino acids to create glucose through biochemical reactions (gl Continue reading >>
Background On Carbohydrates & Sugars
Carbohydrates are one of three basic macronutrients needed to sustain life (the other two are proteins and fats). They are found in a wide range of foods that bring a variety of other important nutrients to the diet, such as vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. Fruits, vegetables, grain foods, and many dairy products naturally contain carbohydrates in varying amounts, including sugars, which are a type of carbohydrate that can add taste appeal to a nutritious diet. Carbohydrates encompass a broad range of sugars, starches, and fiber. The basic building block of a carbohydrate is a simple union of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The chemical definition of a carbohydrate is any compound containing these three elements and having twice as many hydrogen atoms as oxygen and carbon. When people hear the word sugar they often think of the familiar sweetener in the sugar bowl. That sugar is sucrose and is the most familiar form of sugar to home bakers. But there are many types of sugars, which scientists classify according to their chemical structure. Sugars occur naturally in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and dairy foods. They can also be produced commercially and added to foods to heighten sweetness and for the many technical functions they perform, including: contributing to foods structure and texture, sweetening and flavor enhancement, controlling crystallization, providing a medium for the growth of yeast in baked goods, and preventing spoilage. The sweetening ability of sugar can promote the consumption of nutrient-rich foods that might not be otherwise be consumed. Some examples are a sprinkle of sugar added to oatmeal or adding sugar to cranberries in the juice-making process. Sugars come in several forms, most containing appro Continue reading >>
The Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Proteins And Fats
BULLETINS HEALTH A-Z • Overview • Issues HOT TOPICS NEWSLETTERS The Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Proteins And Fats Chester J. Zelasko, Ph.D. | August 2004 The foods we eat contain nutrients. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat are considered macronutrients because we need a substantial amount of all three everyday to keep our bodies operating smoothly. They provide us with energy but they also have other important functions in our bodies you may not realize. For each energy nutrient, we'll find out: What is the nutrient used for in our bodies besides energy? How is the energy nutrient stored in our body? What foods contain the energy nutrient? What happens if we eat too much of it? Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy for most activities. Carbohydrates are found in simple forms, such as fruit or table sugar, or complex forms, like whole wheat breads, rice, or potatoes -- but in all cases they're made up of smaller units. These smaller units are mostly glucose and fructose. The sugar lactose is primarily found in dairy products like milk. All are combinations of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a perfect balance for use in the body. There are other minor sugars found in foods that are important for cellular communication. Use Carbohydrates have one prime directive: provide your body's cells with energy to carry on cell functions. Glucose is the preferred source of energy for the brain -- real brain food -- and for muscles during physical activity. Carbohydrates contain about 4 calories per gram. What’s a calorie? It is a unit of energy used to tell us how much potential energy is stored within food. Technically, it is the energy required to raise the temperature of 1 liter of water, 1 degree centigrade. If you can’t relate to that (as m Continue reading >>
