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Carbohydrates 2

Food Preparation & Nutrition: AQA GCSE, topic 2.1.5

Amounts of Carbohydrates

Government guidelines recommend that carbohydrates should make up 50% of our daily food energy intake.

Dietary reference values

Dietary reference values

  • We should try to get as much of this energy as we can from starchy food and natural sugars (e.g. those found in rice, fruit etc.).
  • Added sugars - only 5% of our intake.
UK consumers

UK consumers

  • The majority of the UK population eats too much sugar.
  • Food labels now contain an 'of which sugars' tab in the carbohydrates section to help people to control their sugar intake.
Consequences of too many carbohydrates

Consequences of too many carbohydrates

  • A build-up of fat - this is because excess carbohydrates in the body are converted into fat. Excess fat can cause obesity.
  • Tooth decay (from eating too much sugar).
  • Higher blood sugar levels.
  • Type 2 diabetes.
Consequences of too few carbohydrates

Consequences of too few carbohydrates

  • Low blood sugar levels. This can lead to hunger, faintness and fatigue.
  • Weight loss.
  • A fat deficiency (because our bodies have had to resort to fat for energy).
  • A fat deficiency can lead to a protein deficiency, as our bodies begin to use proteins for energy.

Fibre

Fibre is a form of carbohydrate. Fibre is sometimes referred to as non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) or roughage.

Sources

Sources

  • Wholegrain breakfast cereals, wholewheat pasta, wholegrain bread and oats, barley and rye.
  • Fruits - e.g. berries, melon, pears, oranges.
  • Vegetables - e.g. sweetcorn, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, parsnips.
  • Beans and pulses - kidney beans, lentils, etc.
  • Nuts and seeds - almonds, chia seeds, etc.
Too little fibre

Too little fibre

  • Symptoms of having too little fibre in the diet include: .
  • Weight gain.
  • Heart disease.
  • Constipation.
  • High blood pressure.
  • Cancer (e.g. colon, bowel).
NHS guidelines

NHS guidelines

  • NHS recommendation - adults take in 30g of fibre as a daily dose.
  • Young children - don't need as much fibre as adults.
  • This is because people can get full quickly off high-fibre foods, and eat less of other important foods as a result.

Test yourself on Carbohydrates 2

  • According to the government, what % of our daily food energy intake should be carbohydrates?

  • According to the government, what % of our daily food energy intake should come from added sugars, like those found in cakes?

  • What are the consequences of eating too many carbohydrates?

  • Which of the following is true of carbohydrate consumption?

  • What type of food is fibre a form of?

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