Nutrition Science and Everyday Application - beta v 0.1

INTRODUCTION TO CARBOHYDRATES 171
different things. They very well could be talking about a balanced diet focused on whole
foods, like this:
Figure 4.3. Examples of whole foods containing carbohydrates, including fresh fruit, legumes
and grains, and cheese.
The diet industry likes to sell us simple messages about “good” and “bad” foods, and
these days, we tend to hear that carbohydrates are in the “bad” group. But given that
carbohydrates are in so many different types of foods, that’s obviously an oversimplified
message—and it’s not fair to all of the awesome sources of carbohydrates in the world of
food. Not all carbohydrate-rich foods are the same. In this unit, you’ll learn to appreciate
the nutrient-dense carbohydrate foods, identify which don’t offer as valuable a nutritional
package, and understand how a balanced diet can include all of them.
Unit Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you should be able to:
1. Classify the different types of carbohydrates, identify their food sources, and discuss how these
carbohydrates are digested and absorbed in the body.
2. Define the guidelines for total carbohydrate, fiber, and added sugar intake.
3. Explain how glucose is regulated and utilized in the body and describe how the body adapts to a low
carbohydrate intake.
4. List the causes, complications, and treatment for different types of diabetes.
5. Be able to describe the health benefits, types of, and food sources of dietary fiber.
6. Differentiate between whole and refined grains in foods by examining food labels.
7. Distinguish between added and natural-occurring sugars in foods, and discuss health implications of
too much added sugar.
8. Identify sugar substitutes in foods, and describe potential benefits and drawbacks of sugar substitutes.