nucleic acids

Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates form the largest part of most peoples diets and is their main source of energy. Sugar is found in foods such as sweets, fruit & honey. Starch is found in rice, potatoes, bread, pasta etc.

Biomolecule, also called biological molecule, any of numerous substances that are produced by cells and living organisms. Biomolecules have a wide range of sizes and structures and perform a vast array of functions. The four major types of biomolecules are carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

Benedict’s reagent

In this chapter, we’ll first consider how macromolecules are built. Then we’ll examine the structure and function of all four classes of large biological molecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

The Molecules of Life On the molecular scale, members of three of these classes—carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids—are huge and are therefore called macromolecules. For example, a protein may consist of thousands of atoms that form a mo- lecular colossus with a mass well over 100,000 daltons.

There are two major types of carbohydrates (or carbs) in foods: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates: These are also called simple sugars. They’re found in refined sugars, like the white sugar you see in a sugar bowl. If you have a lollipop, you’re eating simple carbs.

Following are the important examples of carbohydrates:

• Glucose.
• Galactose.
• Maltose.
• Fructose.
• Sucrose.
• Lactose.
• Starch.
• Cellulose.

Carbohydrates are used for energy (glucose). Fats are used for energy after they are broken into fatty acids. Protein can also be used for energy, but the first job is to help with making hormones, muscle, and other proteins.

In humans. Ordinarily, the body responds to reduced energy intake by burning fat reserves and consuming muscle and other tissues. Specifically, the body burns fat after first exhausting the contents of the digestive tract along with glycogen reserves stored in liver cells and after significant protein loss.

Exercise lasting from 10 seconds to several minutes uses predominantly glucose in the form of pyruvate, and if the exercise is intense enough, in the form of lactate. After several minutes of work, the body will begin to burn fats for energy use. Share This: The body will burn sugars first, always.

Carbs are a major source of daily energy. If more carbs are eaten than what is needed for energy, some is stored as glycogen. When glycogen stores are full, any excess carbs eaten are converted to fat and stored in fat tissue.

Why Does the Body Like Carbs So Much? The glucose from carbs is converted into the energy your brain and muscles need to function, Meyerowitz explains. Fats and protein are also necessary for energy, but they’re more of a long-term fuel source, while carbohydrates fulfill the body’s most immediate energy needs.

Carbs are important for muscle building because they’re protein sparing, which means the body looks to glycogen for energy instead of breaking down muscle tissue for energy. Consuming carbs post-workout can prevent muscle loss and help repair muscles.

And your muscles don’t actually need carbs to grow. Lifting weights triggers an increase in muscle protein synthesis, which is the key driving force behind muscle growth. But you don’t need carbs for it to happen.

Consider eating healthy carb sources like brown rice or quinoa in the hours leading up to exercise (41). This may allow you to exercise harder, providing your body with a greater stimulus for your muscles to grow.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that carbohydrates make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories. So, if you get 2,000 calories a day, between 900 and 1,300 calories should be from carbohydrates. That translates to between 225 and 325 grams of carbohydrates a day.

While all carbs break down into glucose, the best carbs for your health are the ones you’ll eat in their closest-to-nature state as possible: vegetables, fruit, pulses, legumes, unsweetened dairy products, and 100% whole grains, like brown rice, quinoa, wheat, and oats.

Just avoiding the refined carbs — like sugar, candy, and white bread — should be sufficient, especially if you keep your protein intake high. If the goal is to lose weight fast, some people reduce their carb intake to 50 grams per day.