Carbohydrates Quiz Answers

Carbohydrates Quiz Answers

TRUE or FALSE Question #1. Starches, Sugars and Fibers are all types of carbohydrates.

Answer: TRUE.

Carbohydrates are organic compounds that can be divided into three groups—starches, sugars, and fiber. Sugars can be monosaccharides (“one sugar”) or, when they are composed of two monosaccharides, they are called disaccharides (“two sugars”). Starches are polysaccharides (“many sugars”) and are composed of long chains of monosaccharides.

TRUE or FALSE Question #2. Fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates.

Answer: True.

Fruits, vegetables and grains are all carbohydrates.

TRUE or FALSE Question #3. Table sugar is a complex carbohydrate.

Answer: FALSE.

Table sugar is a simple carb, as are most sweeteners. Complex carbs are starches and fibers. They can be called polysaccharides (“many sugars”) and are composed of long chains of monosaccharides, (sugars) that can either be straight or branched. They are called complex carbohydrates, because of their more complex chemical structure compared to simple carbs.

TRUE or FALSE Question #4. Most carbohydrate foods come from plants.

Answer: TRUE

Carbohydrate foods are the plant foods that you eat. There are the healthy carbs, such as:

--Foods from whole grains: Breads… Rolls… Pasta… Cereal… Bagels… Rice… 

---Fruits: Apples… Oranges… Pears… Bananas… Grapes… Berries… Peaches… Watermelon… Pineapple… Kiwi… Grapefruit… 

---Vegetables: Lettuce… Broccoli… Carrots… Potatoes… Peas… Corn… Onions… Beans… Spinach… Squash… 

and there are less healthy (some would say un-healthy) choices, such as:

--French fries… Doughnuts… Chips… Pies… Cakes… Cookies… Products made from all white flour.

It is important that you choose most of your foods from the first list rather than from the second. In addition to being poor carbohydrate foods, the foods in the second list are generally loaded with fat, particularly saturated fat and trans-fats, which have been implicated as bad actors in the rise of heart disease and cancer.

Although most carbohydrates come from plants, one animal product, milk contains the carbohydrate "lactose." There also is some carbohydrate found in liver, but it is not considered a significant source.

TRUE or FALSE Question#5. Carbohydrate foods should be eliminated from your diet if you want to lose weight.

Answer: FALSE.

Considering the bad reputation that carbohydrates have gotten in recent years, you may well ask, why do I need carbs? Thanks to the advent of the low-carb diets, many people think of carbs as fattening and to be avoided. If that’s how you feel, you may want to change your thinking. Again, you can be healthy eating carbohydrates!

In addition to providing your body with fuel —glucose for brain function and muscle activity —carbohydrate foods contain vitamins, minerals and fiber, along with other protective phytochemicals, the value of which we have only just begun to realize. A carbohydrate-rich diet, especially where whole grains, fruits and vegetables are emphasized, may protect you from heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. In addition, the fiber in many carbohydrate foods will contribute to a healthy colon and decreased exposure to harmful toxins.

The question including carbohydrates in your diet should probably be about including the right carbs. If you don’t eat enough good carbs, you will not get the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and fiber that carb food provides. Even if you take supplements, there are trace chemicals and other substances that will not be in the pill you take.

TRUE or FALSE Bonus Question: A low-carb diet may give you halitosis (bad breath).

Answer: TRUE.

If you have made the choice to go Low-Carb, and the carbs in your diet are too low in favor of fat and protein, you will experience something called "ketosis," which upsets the acid-base balance in your body and can cause nausea, fatigue, weakness and bad breath! In addition, if your body does not get enough carbs for energy, it may resort to breaking down (yes, digesting) your muscles.

What your score means:

If you had 0-1 Correct Answers: Yikes! You probably could have written that misguided article about the celebrity diet! You probably should take a little time to learn about the foods you eat.

If you had 2-3 Correct Answers: Better than Average! You did good but you still need to add to your knowledge.

If you had 4-5 Correct Answers: Superior! You know more than the the average bear about carbohydrate foods.

If you had all 6 Correct Answers: Magnificent! You obviously do know a "carb from a carbuncle!" Hope you are applying what you know to your healthy eating lifestyle!

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