Too much versus too little CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates have glucose as their basic unit and are the universal fuel of life. Since they are predominantly of plant origin, in their natural state they contain vitamins and minerals and are a tonic for the liver, the brain and the heart. Their main job is to supply the body with energy straight away.

From a structural point of view, carbohydrates can be:

MONOSACCHARIDES – are digestible and have an energy value of 4.1 kcal/g. Glucose is the most widespread sugar, the precursor of glycogen (animal starch, the form in which carbohydrates are stored in the body). If carbohydrates are completely absent from the diet, their reserves in the body are used up within 12 to 20 hours, the process of oxidising the lipids in the deposits increases, and this ultimately leads to considerable metabolic disorders;
DISACCHARIDES – can be digestible or indigestible; the digestible ones have an energy value (sucrose, lactose, maltose and cellobiose);
COMPLEX ONES – can be digestible, hard to digest or indigestible: starch, cellulose, pectin substances, glycogen.

CELLULOSE is an insoluble plant fibre that occurs in the structure of plants, is hard to digest and plays an important role in the final stage of digestion by changing the intestinal transit and favouring the formation of the stool. Cereals contain more cellulose than vegetables and fruit.

PECTIN is a soluble plant fibre that occurs mainly in fruit and vegetables and is well tolerated by people with an increased sensitivity of the gastroduodenal tract. It has been established experimentally that pectin binds four times more lipids than its own mass, takes part positively in fat metabolism and helps to regulate cholesterol. Pectins also play an important role in the absorption of vitamin A, in keeping the large intestine healthy, in inhibiting putrefactive flora, in transporting lead, arsenic and methanol in cases of poisoning and in preventing constipation. Large amounts of pectin are contained in apples, peaches, apricots, oranges, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes and peas.

GLYCOGEN consists of many glucose molecules and is the body’s energy store. Excess glucose that enters the blood from the gut is turned into glycogen. Most of the glycogen is in the muscles and the liver. Muscle glycogen is used up during physical effort or on a very low-carbohydrate diet; if it is not replenished, lasting tiredness can follow. Liver glycogen supplies energy quickly, above all to the brain. After a rapid rise in blood sugar from very sugary foods, many people feel tired and flat 2–3 hours later.

The carbohydrate content of fruit and vegetables:

up to 5 %: endives, green peppers, cucumbers, spring onions, cauliflower, courgettes, orache, radishes, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, aubergines;
between 5.1-10 %: round peppers, green beans, cabbage, dill, carrots, parsley, leeks, beetroot, celery, nettles, kale, gooseberries, strawberries, strawberries, grapefruit, lemons, mandarins, melons and green melons;
between 10.1-15 %: onions, green peas, parsnips, blueberries, pineapple, bananas, apricots, currants, broom, mulberries, quinces, apples, blackberries, peaches, oranges, cherries, raspberries and so on;
between 15.1-20 %: hazelnuts, peanuts, potatoes, cherries, pears, plums, grapes;
over 20 %: nuts.

A low intake of carbohydrates can lead to hypoglycaemia, which is marked by: states of anxiety, trembling, restlessness, shortness of breath, cooling of the extremities, peripheral paraesthesia of the lips and tongue and mild speech disturbances.

Eating too many carbohydrates causes great problems for the pancreas and can lead to diabetes over time. Eating too much sugar also leads to tooth decay, chronic rheumatism, obesity and digestive disorders.