Simple Carbohydrates    (Sugars)
        The word saccharide means sugar. Simple carbs are divided into two
        categories: Monosaccharides and Disaccharides.

        Monosaccharides    (Single Sugars)
            Glucose, Fructose, and Galactose. Glucose and fructose are found widely
            in nature, primarily in fruits. Glucose in food is often called dextrose or
            grape sugar. Fructose is known as levulose or fruit sugar. Galactose is
            found in milk as a part of lactose. A combination of two monosaccharides
            is known as a disaccharide
        Disaccharides    (Double Sugars)
            Maltose, Lactose, Sucrose. Maltose is a malt sugar, lactose is milk sugar
            and sucrose is known as cane sugar or table sugar. When digested these
            disacchrides yield the monosaccharides which formed them.

Complex Carbohydrates    (Starches)
        The group of complex carbohydrates are formed when three or more glucose
        molecules combine. We call these combinations polysaccharide, meaning
        many sugars. If there are more than ten glucose molecules combined, we call
        it a glucose polymer. The majority of carbohydrates that exist in the plant
        world are in polysaccharide form. Starches are the storage form of
        carbohydrates. Most grains (wheat, corn, rice, oats) and things like potatoes
        are high in starch. Your digestive system breaks down starches into glucose
        molecules so they can enter your blood stream.

Dietary Fiber
        Dietary fiber is the term we use for the diverse polysaccharides in plant cell
        walls that are resistant to digestion, leaving a residue in the digestive tract.
        We divide this group into two groups: water soluble and water insoluble.
        Soluble Fiber
                These may be metabolized in the large intestine and include gums
                and pectins.
        Insoluble Fiber
                Cellulose, hemicellulose, and lingin are insoluble. Insoluble fibers pass
                through the entire gastrointestinal tract unmetabolized.
        Foods high in dietary fiber include most vegetables and fruits, whole grain
        breads, and dried beans and peas.

Amount of Carbohydrates Needed
        Limit simple refined sugars to 10% of daily CHO intake.
        Complex should be 45-50% of daily CHO intake.
        Total daily caloric intake of CHO should be 55-60% of total caloric intake.
Enzyme Breakdown
        Salivary Amylase- starts conversion of starch to disaccharides in mouth
        Pancreatic Amylase- converts starch to disaccharides in small intestine
        Sucrase- converts sucrose to glucose and fructose in small intestine
        Maltase- converts maltose to two molecules of glucose in small intestine
        Lactase- converts lactose to glucose and galactose in small intestine

        Of the monosaccharides, glucose is the most important to human
        physiology. Dietary fiber is broken down to glucose for absorbtion into the
        blood, while absorbed fructose and galactose are converted to glucose by
        the liver. A meal high in carbohydrates will increase blood sugar levels
        rapidly within an hour of ingestion. Gluconeogenesis is the body's process
        of creating glucose internally if none is ingested. Protein may be the
        primary source for gluconeogenesis. Protein breaks down to amino acids,
        one of them, alanine, may be converted to glucose in the liver. This is known
        as the glucose-alanine cycle. Fats may also be broken down through
        gluconeogenesis. Fat cells break down into fatty acids and glycerol. While
        fatty acids cannot be broken down to glucose, the glycerol can be.
        Pyruvate and lactate, from carbohydrate metabolism, may also be
        converted back into glucose. Why is glucose so important? In the lactic acid
        system and oxygen system ATP can only be produced with the aide of
        glucose.