Goals
Carbohydrates are the cornerstone of our diet. In this Lesson you will learn about the different types of carbohydrates in food products, the important functional properties that carbohydrates bring to foods, and how different carbohydrates are metabolized by the human body. You will learn about the production of high fructose corn syrup and how sugar is produced from beets. You will learn to recognize different label terms which indicate that sweeteners have been added to a food product and you will learn about dietary fiber and why this is such an important component in the U.S. diet.
1. Watch the Mini-Lectures & Take Notes
2. Read the Articles
- Not Only Sugar is Sweet. FDA Consumer, April 1992, pp. 17-21
- HFCS: Sweetener with a Bad Rap. New York Times, July 2, 2006 [image]
- The Whole-Grain Story. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, July 2005, pp. 4-5
- Increasing Whole Grain Consumption. Food Technology, December 2005, pp. 24-32.
3. Complete the Activities
- Watch the msnbc.com video on sugared beverages and the link to the obesity epidemic.
4. Review the Supplementary Info (optional)
If you want to review or just know more:
- Review of Food Chemistry
- What is HFCS?
- Sucralose and other nonnutritive sweeteners - Calorie Control Council
- Next Up for U.S. Farmers: Genetically Modified Sugar Beets, NY Times, November 27, 2007.
- Whole Grains 101
5. Check Your Knowledge [
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At the end of this lesson, you can now:
- Define the terms: monosaccharide, disaccharide and complex polysaccharide, and give examples of each
- Describe the sugars which make up sucrose, lactose and maltose and a bit about each
- Define the terms amylose and amylopectin
- Describe the stages of carbohydrate digestion and absorption
- Explain lactose intolerance
- List the two functions of carbohydrates in foods
- Rank sweeteners based on their relative sweetness value
- Describe what sugar alcohols and synthetic sweeteners are and why we might use them
- Describe the chemical makeup of aspartame and why this is important
- Describe sucarlose
- Define the multi-sweetener approach
- List some ways in which carbohydrates add texture to foods and give some examples
- Describe in detail how HFCS is made
- Describe the process of making sugar from beets
- List the functions of dietary carbohydrates based on human physiology and functionality in foods.
- Choose food label terms which note that sweeteners are in a food
- List the steps in the manufacture of HFCS, including the enzymes and products for each reaction
- Describe the physiological functions of dietary fiber
- List sources and types of dietary fiber and the recommended amount that Americans should consume each day
- List ways to increase fiber in the diet
- Choose whole grain foods based on food label descriptions
- Describe the functions of dietary fiber as a food ingredient
After doing the readings, you should know:
- What sugar does the body use for energy?
- How would our bodies differently metabolize sugars from an apple versus sugars from a sugar bowl?
- Which disease is linked directly to eating refined sugar: diabetes, anxiety, fatigue, depression, hyperactivity and criminal behavior?
- What are other names for sugars that you might see on a package label?
HFCS: Sweetener with a Bad Rap
- What are some food products which contain HFCS?
- In what way is the ‘high’ in HFCS a misnomer?
- Has research shown that HFCS is responsible for the obesity epidemic?
- What are some examples of whole grain food products?
- What are America's favorite whole grains?
- What seed/grain parts must be included for a food to be identified as containing whole grains?
- Are enriched grains the same as whole grains?
- What are some ways to increase whole grains in the diet?
- What is the downside risk of chowing down on whole grains?
Increasing Whole Grain Consumption
- What are the current dietary recommendations for consumption of whole grains? How are Americans doing in meeting this recommendation?
- What are the general steps in whole grain processing and how is refined flour different?
- What are some barriers to whole grain consumption?
- What are some food products that have been introduced in the last few years to help increase whole grain consumption?