What are carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a class of organic compounds present in organisms that include sugars, starch, and cellulose. Carbohydrate-rich foods, such as flour, rice, pasta, and potatoes, are the primary source of food energy for many people. The significance of these foods cannot be overstated because they are the primary source of food energy (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p. 4). The gained energy is used by the human body for growth and repair (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p. 7). Sugars in sweetened meals are also becoming a more common source of carbohydrates (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p. 4).  A simple definition of sugars is carbohydrates the body easily digests to provide immediate energy. Sugars, or simple carbohydrates, take the form of monosaccharides and disaccharides. Monosaccharides contain one sugar molecule, making them the simplest forms of sugar molecules (The Open University, 2017: p. 10). Fructose, galactose and glucose are very common types of monosaccharides present in the human diet. Two or more monosaccharide units link to construct larger carbohydrates (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p. 13). Disaccharides form when two monosaccharide units link through covalent bonds (The Open University, 2017: p. 13). For instance, the combination of glucose and fructose molecules leads to the formation of sucrose.



Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides. Polysaccharides form through the combination of many monosaccharides molecules. Starch contained in plants is a good example of a polysaccharide because it contains numerous monosaccharides (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p. 15). Plants convert stored glucose into two polysaccharides, which include cellulose and starch. The process of breaking down and absorbing the different forms of carbohydrates varies primarily because of their different structures. Cellulose has a linear structure making it difficult for the human gut to absorb or derive energy from it (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p17-18). Starch, on the other hand, has a branched structure making it easier for the human gut to absorb it into the bloodstream (The Open University, 2017: part 4, p. 18).

The term guts usually denotes the lower section of the digestive system, in particular, the small and large intestines (The Open University, 2017: part 6, page 6). Both intestines facilitate the absorption of carbohydrates into the blood. The duodenum, located in the small intestines, further degrades most carbohydrates into glucose. Glucose requires active transport that requires cells to expend energy. The glucose crosses into capillaries, which use the gut epithelial cells in close proximity to transfer the glucose into the blood circulation. The undigested food, which includes carbohydrates, moves into the large intestines. Bacteria present in the large intestines further break down the food even further to inhibit pathogen growth (The Open University, 2017: part 6, p. 20).

Carbohydrates on diabetics and non-diabetics

In the case that a normal person takes food high in carbohydrates, the glucose in the blood increases to unusual levels. Insulin and glucagon are the two hormones responsible for the regulation of glucose in the blood, which are excreted by the pancreas. The pancreas’ beta cells detect the increased glucose concentration, leading to secretion of the insulin hormone. Insulin encourages the consumption of glucose by body cells. Once the glucose concentration is high, the pancreas excretes insulin to reduce bring the levels to normalcy. The process stops once the glucose concentration is normal (The Open University, 2017: part 8, p. 20). In the case that the glucose concentration is low, the pancreas’ alpha cell detects this activity and the production of glucagon hormone commences. Glucagon encourages the body’s cells to decrease the usage of glucose. Additionally, the glucagon signals the liver to collapse stored glycogen into glucose. Adipose tissues also relinquish stored fat as energy.

Contrastingly, an individual with type 2 diabetes will find it difficult to revert the level to normalcy after consumption of carbohydrate-rich food. This is because body’s cells become resistant to the insulin signal. Thus, the body’s cells do not take glucose as signaled by insulin (The Open University, 2017: part 8, p. 94). Thus, the insulin produced moves together with glucose in the bloodstream. However, there is an abnormally low quantity of insulin. Additionally, body’s cells do not produce enough insulin receptors to respond to insulin signals, and in turn, there is no glucose intake. The concentration of glucose continues to increase. The pancreas increases insulin production, whereas the body’s cells fail to react. Starved of glucose, body’s cells signal the continued release of glucose by the liver (The Open University, 2017: part 8 p. 94).



Bibliography

The Open University. (2017). Science and Health: An Evidence-based research.