Chapter 20, Problem 96P

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

The foods containing carbohydrates and fats should be distinguished.

Concept introduction:

The 90% of the dry weight to the body is supplied by carbohydrates, proteins and fats. All of them provide energy to the body in calories but the amount per gram is different for each.

Carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram but fat provides 9 calories per gram. The supply of energy is fast in carbohydrates and slow in fats. The basic units of the carbohydrates, proteins and fats are formed by their breakdown when digested in the intestine. Carbohydrate gets broken down into sugars, proteins into amino acids and fats into fatty acid and glycerol.

These basic units are used by body for the development.

Carbohydrates can be complex or simple depending on the size of the molecules. Simple carbohydrates are in the form of sugars such as glucose and sucrose. The molecules of these carbohydrates are small therefore; they can be easily broken down into simpler molecules in the body and provide energy. Complex carbohydrates are long chains of simple carbohydrates thus, they can be broken down easily and slowly provide energy to the body. Since, they are complex there is less chance of them to get converted into fat.

Fats are complex molecules composed of glycerol and fatty acids. The fats are needed by body for growth and energy. It is used in the synthesis of hormones. Fats slowly provides energy to the body as they are efficient source of energy, the excess energy is stored in body as fat. If fatty acids are required in the body, it can be synthesized. The fatty acids that cannot be synthesized by the body are known as essential fatty acids. Some examples are linoleic acid, arachidonjic acid both are examples of omega-6 fatty acids. The other fatty acids are omega-3 fatty acids example are linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid etc.