Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are a major source of energy in our diet. Carbohydrates provide the energy which we need in our daily life, to do our day to day activities, to walk, to run, to do exercises etc. Carbohydrates provide the energy actually used. ___ So it'll be worth your while to get aware more about carbohydrates.

Importance of Carbohydrates
1.Carbohydrates provide energy for your survival
As mentioned earlier carbohydrates are the major source of energy in the diet. Your body must maintain a good supply of energy for survival.
This energy is used for various essential activities. Some examples are given below.

1.Synthesis of substances for growth and repair.
Ex:-Protein synthesis

2.Active transport of substances into and out of cells against diffusion gradients.

3. Phagocytosis

4. Electrical transmission of nerve impulses

5. Mechanical contraction of muscles and beating of cilia and flagella.

6. Heat energy released from respiration, used to maintain a constant body temperature in your body.


2. Carbohydrates are building blocks for more complex molecules
Carbohydrates contribute to build more complex and biological molecules in your body such as Nucleic acids, Nucleotides and Glycogen.

Principle Sources Of Carbohydrates

Sugar and Starch are rich of Carbohydrates.

1. Cereal
Ex:- Barley, Buckwheat, Corn, Maize, Millet, Oats, Rice, Rye, Wheat

2. Fruits
3. Vegetables
4. Animal Liver


Chemistry Of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are substances containing Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen.
General formula is Cx(H2O)y
All are aldehydes or ketones.
All contain several hydroxyl groups.

Carbohydrates are divided into three main classes.
1. Monosaccharides
2. Disaccharides
3. Polysaccharides
Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides are single sugar units.
All are reducing sugars. (That means these compounds can reduce the substances, which can be easily reduced.)
General formula (CH2O)n where n =3 to 9
Small molecules
Sweet
Readily soluble in water
Crystalline

Monosaccharides can be classified into two groups according to the major functioning group of them.
1. Aldo Sugar
2. Keto Sugar

In monosaccharides all the carbon atoms except one have a hydroxyl group attached. If the remaining carbon atom is a part of an aldehyde group, the monosaccharide is called an aldose/aldo sugar.
Ex:-Glucose
If it is a art of Keto group it is called a Keto sugar.
Ex:-Fructose

In general aldoses are more common than ketoses.

Monosaccharides are more commonly found in ring forms than open chains.

These substances are classified according to the number of carbon atoms.
Number of Carbon atoms
Name
Example
Main Functions
3
Trioses
glyceraldehyde
dyhydroxoacetone
Interemediates in respiration and photosynthesis
4
Tetroses
erythrose

5
Pentoses
ribose
ribulose
synthesis of nucleic acids, Co-enzymes, ATP,

6
Hexoses
glucose, galactose, fructose
Source of energy when oxidised in respiration.
Synthesis of disaccharides and polysaccharides.
7
Heptoses
heptulose


Glucose- The most common respiratory substrate in living organisms. .






Disaccharides
Disaccharides are formed when weo monosaccharides usually hexoses combine by means of a chemical reaction known as a condensation.
Some are reducing sugars.
Ex:- Moltose, Galactose

Some are non-reducing sugars.
Ex:-Sucrose

All are reducing sugars.
General formula Cx(H2O)x-1
Small molecules
Sweet
Readily soluble in water
Crystalline

Food And Nutrition -Introduction

Food & Nutrition

Good nutrition and good health are two words which go together. It is said that there's no good health without good nutrition. So, if you don't care about your nutrition you'll lose your good health and will face to illness. Malnutrition, the opposite of good nutrition which means "bad nutrition" can cause ill health or disease.
There are two forms of malnutrition,

1. Undernutrition
Undernutrition is eating so little than your body needs. Undernutrition cause diseases such as stunted growth 'kwashiorkor' and 'marasmus'. This can cause death by starvation and by lowering the resistance of the body against disease. Undernutition is mainly associated in developing countries.
More details about Undernutrition.

2. Overnutrition
Overnutrition is the contrast of undernutrition and it is mainly associated with developing countries like Britain and U.S.A. Overnutrition causes disease such as obesity, coronary heart disease and strokes.
More details about Overnutrition

As you read through you may have an idea about the importance of good nutrition. So it'll be important to get your while about the important facts about nutrients and the right amounts in which you should take as well as the principle sources of those nutrients, and the disorders in which you'll face lacking those essential nutrients.

What is Nutrition?

Nutrition is the process in which living organisms acquire energy for their metabolic activities, and raw materials to build cells. Nutrition is supplied to living organisms in the form of chemicals known as nutrients. Nutrients can be divided into two parts.
1. Organic nutrients
Organic nutrients are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and vitamins.

2. Inorganic nutrients
Water and mineral salts are inorganic nutrients in which we need to maintain our life.

From where we can take nutrients?

We acquire nutrients from the food we eat. We eat food which largely contain the nutrients which stated in the above paragraph. Diet is the quantity and nature of food we eat, that is which nutrients and how much of each.

What is a balanced diet?

A Balanced diet is one which contains the correct proportions and quantity of the various nutrients, water and dietary fiber required to maintain health.
A Balanced diet contains carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, water, minerals and fiber.

The ideal of will vary in different individuals greatly depending on the factors below.
Sex
Age
Activity
Body size
Temperature of their external environment

And now I think it is better to start considering about the nutrients one by one in detail. Just click on the following links to start!

Carbohydrates
Proteins
Lipids
Vitamins
Water
Mineral Salts

Facts about nutrition
Food Pyramid

Malnutrition and disorders