How do plants make carbohydrate?

Plants make glucose by photosynthesis, using energy from sunlight to combine carbon dioxide and water. Plants convert the glucose into sugars, starch and cellulose.

Name the three monosaccharides that are important in the diet.

Glucose, fructose and galactose are the three dietary monosaccharides.

What is a polysaccharide?

A polysaccharide is a long chain of many monosaccharide units. Starch, glycogen and non-starch polysaccharides are examples.

What are the main food sources of carbohydrate?

Starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes are the main sources of carbohydrate. Fruit, milk, table sugar and confectionery supply sugars.

CCEA A-Level Nutrition and Food Science 3310

Protein

Topic overview Functions of protein Amino acids, biological value and complementation Animal and plant sources of protein Novel protein sources Nitrogen balance and protein requirements

Fat

Topic overview Functions of fat Structure of fats and fatty acids Saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids Omega-3, omega-6 and trans fatty acids Essential fatty acids

Carbohydrate

Topic overview Sources and functions of carbohydrate Intrinsic, extrinsic and non-milk extrinsic sugars Starch and resistant starch Non-starch polysaccharides and dietary fibre Blood sugar, glycaemic index and glycaemic load

Vitamins

Topic overview Vitamin solubility, absorption and bioavailability Vitamin A and beta-carotene Vitamin D and sunlight Vitamins E and K Thiamin, riboflavin and niacin Vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate Vitamin C and scurvy

Minerals

Topic overview Calcium and phosphorus Magnesium, sodium and potassium Iron and iron deficiency anaemia Iodine and fluorine Selenium and zinc Mineral bioavailability and absorption

Water and Other Fluids

Topic overview Functions and sources of water Nutritional benefits of other drinks Factors affecting hydration Dehydration and water intoxication

Nutrition Through Life

Topic overview Pre-conception and pregnancy nutrition Lactation and infant milk feeding Weaning and pre-school children School-age children and teenagers Nutrition for adult men and women Older adults and the frail elderly Dietary Reference Values and diet evaluation

Eating Patterns

Topic overview Food consumption trends and demographic change Social change, employment and leisure patterns Resources and availability of healthy food Food labels and advertising as barriers

Energy and Energy Balance

Topic overview Why the body needs energy Basal metabolic rate and physical activity level Energy EARs through life Energy balance and weight change

Overweight and Obesity

Topic overview BMI, waist circumference and measuring body fat Trends in childhood and adult obesity Barriers to achieving a healthy weight Health problems of excess weight Achieving a healthy weight in children and adults

Cardiovascular Disease

Topic overview Defining CVD and how atherosclerosis develops Non-modifiable risk factors for CVD Smoking, inactivity, alcohol, obesity and Type 2 diabetes Blood cholesterol, fatty acids and soluble fibre Hypertension, sodium, antioxidants and homocysteine Preventing CVD through diet and lifestyle

Cancer

Topic overview Cancer and how tumours develop Fat, salt and meat in cancer risk Wholegrains, fruit, vegetables and antioxidants Lifestyle factors in cancer risk Recommendations to reduce cancer risk

Type 2 Diabetes

Topic overview Definition and symptoms of Type 2 diabetes Risk factors for Type 2 diabetes Preventing Type 2 diabetes Managing Type 2 diabetes

Alcohol

Topic overview Units, energy and alcohol's link to obesity Alcohol, the heart and cancer Alcohol in pregnancy and the developing baby Nutritional effects of heavy drinking

Physical Activity

Topic overview UK physical activity guidelines Activity, heart health and energy balance Bone, joint, muscle and mental health benefits

Food Security and Food PovertyOption A

Topic overview Food security and the threat from climate change Land degradation and population growth Food poverty as a global issue Food poverty in the UK and Northern Ireland Food banks, FareShare and the Trussell Trust

Food SustainabilityOption A

Topic overview Animal farming, climate change and natural resources Local and seasonal food Organic farming and the environment Fairtrade and producer countries Red Tractor, NI Beef and Lamb, LEAF and Conservation Grade Carbon labels, Rainforest Alliance, MSC and green claims

Food WasteOption A

Topic overview Environmental and ethical impact of food and packaging waste Waste from primary producers and food manufacturers Waste from retailers and consumers WRAP, the Courtauld Commitment and Love Food Hate Waste NI

Changing Consumer BehaviourOption A

Topic overview Advice for sustainable food choices Barriers to sustainable food choices Environmental and social cost of supermarket shopping

Food Safety Through the Food ChainOption B

Topic overview WHO and shared responsibility for food safety Animal and plant health risks The Food Standards Agency and DAERA GMP, quality assurance standards and traceability HACCP in food-serving establishments Hygiene ratings, food law inspections and EHPs

Microbiological ContaminationOption B

Topic overview Salmonella and Campylobacter Listeria and Escherichia coli High-risk foods for food poisoning Microbial control by producers and manufacturers Microbial control in catering and at home

Chemical ContaminationOption B

Topic overview Acrylamide in cooked foods Arsenic in rice Bisphenol A and dioxins Mercury, lead and cadmium in food

Food AdditivesOption B

Topic overview Additive regulation and E numbers Food colours and flavour enhancers Intense and bulk sweeteners Preservatives, nitrites and sulphites

Food AllergensOption B

Topic overview Why food allergies are increasing Allergen labelling and information rules The FSA's work on allergy and intolerance

Food Safety Controls and LegislationOption B

Topic overview EFSA and food risk assessment General food hygiene under Regulation 852/2004 Regulation 853/2004 and official controls

Research Skills

Topic overview Primary and secondary research Questionnaires and interviews Food diaries, observation and sensory evaluation Sampling and research ethics Evaluating and referencing sources Analysing and presenting data

Carbohydrate

5 subtopics
15 things to know
AS 1

What Carbohydrate covers

Carbohydrate is examined in Unit AS 1, Principles of Nutrition — examined, compulsory. It covers sources and functions of carbohydrate, intrinsic, extrinsic and non-milk extrinsic sugars, starch and resistant starch, non-starch polysaccharides and dietary fibre and blood sugar, glycaemic index and glycaemic load.

Where it is assessed

AS 1

Principles of Nutrition — a written examination.

Check the CCEA specification ↗

The 5 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Key term

Name three disaccharides and the monosaccharides each is made from.

Numbers

A breakfast contains 8 g of protein, 5 g of fat and 45 g of carbohydrate. What percentage of its energy comes from carbohydrate?

Key term

A packed lunch contains an apple, a flavoured yoghurt and a carton of orange juice. Identify the intrinsic sugars, milk sugars and NMES in it.

Key term

How is starch digested?

Key term

A student's diet includes white toast, a ham sandwich on white bread and pasta with tomato sauce. Suggest three changes to raise its fibre content.

Key term

How does the body respond to a rise in blood glucose after a meal?

Key term

What are intrinsic sugars?

Key term

What is starch?

Key term

What are non-starch polysaccharides?

Key term

How does the body respond when blood glucose falls?

Key term

Which elements make up carbohydrates?

Key term

What are extrinsic sugars?

Key term

Name and describe the two types of molecule found in starch.

Key term

Name three non-starch polysaccharides.

Key term

Why do sugary drinks raise blood glucose quickly?

Take Carbohydrate further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

NMES vs Intrinsic sugars
NMES: sweet carbohydrates not held in cell walls, excluding lactose naturally in milk. Intrinsic sugars: sweet carbohydrates held within the cell walls of whole fruit and vegetables.
Amylose vs Amylopectin
Amylose: the straight, unbranched glucose chain in starch. Amylopectin: the highly branched glucose chain in starch.
Glycaemic index vs Glycaemic load
Glycaemic index: a ranking of how fast a food raises blood glucose compared with pure glucose. Glycaemic load: a measure combining how fast a food raises blood glucose with the carbohydrate in a portion.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Which elements make up carbohydrates?
Model answer
Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen and oxygen are usually present in the same two-to-one ratio as in water.
2
How do plants make carbohydrate?
Model answer
Plants make glucose by photosynthesis, using energy from sunlight to combine carbon dioxide and water. Plants convert the glucose into sugars, starch and cellulose.
3
Name the three monosaccharides that are important in the diet.
Model answer
Glucose, fructose and galactose are the three dietary monosaccharides.
4
Name three disaccharides and the monosaccharides each is made from.
Model answer
Sucrose is made of glucose and fructose. Lactose is made of glucose and galactose. Maltose is made of two glucose units.
5
What is a polysaccharide?
Model answer
A polysaccharide is a long chain of many monosaccharide units. Starch, glycogen and non-starch polysaccharides are examples.
6
What are the main food sources of carbohydrate?
Model answer
Starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes are the main sources of carbohydrate. Fruit, milk, table sugar and confectionery supply sugars.

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Protein

Fat

Carbohydrate

Vitamins

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Nicotine also blood vessels.

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AThe man's intake is 75% of the RNI.

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Overweight means an adult BMI from 25 up to 29.9.

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Carbohydrate revision questions

What does Carbohydrate cover in CCEA A-Level Nutrition and Food Science?: 5 subtopics: sources and functions of carbohydrate, intrinsic, extrinsic and non-milk extrinsic sugars, starch and resistant starch, non-starch polysaccharides and dietary fibre and blood sugar, glycaemic index and glycaemic load. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
How is Carbohydrate organised?: By the CCEA 3310 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.

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