Question

For each of the following Case Studies, select which carbohydrate source you feel is best. Then, explain WHY you chose your answer. (these are TWO part questions, make sure you answer both!)

1. An athlete DURING exercise – should they be ingesting monosaccharide’s, disaccharides, or polysaccharides?
2. Should a diabetic’s daily diet include mostly: LOW or HIGH glycemic index foods? (their regular diet, not during an emergency or in diabetic shock [hypoglycemia])?
3. Someone with pancreatic cancer who is suffering from extreme GI distress. Should this person be ingesting veggies that are high in insoluble fiber? Yes or no?
4. It is 2 days before surgery. What types of carbohydrates should this person be ingesting to give their bodies the most fuel to help them recover: monosaccharide’s, disaccharides, or polysaccharides?

Answer 1

ANSWER 1 :-

1. The type of exercise and the intensity and duration of the exercise determines the amount of carbohydrates that are essential for meeting the requirements of the body. Mainly the sugars that are easily being oxidized include glucose which is a monosaccharide and it can be combined with a sugar that is not easily oxidized including fructose which is also a monosaccharide.
2. During intense exercise, there is more requirement of ATP which is being synthesized in the presence of substrates like glucose and in its absence, proteins are being utilised.
3. When sugars are being provided, there is no more requirement of proteins to be utilised and thus under the influence of hormones like insulin, there is more production of ATP by means of utilisation of the provided monosaccharides Thus, a combination of the sugars as mentioned above would enhance the output of ATP production in the body.

ANSWER 2 :-

1. The Glycemic index is an indicator about the change in the level of blood sugar induced by the consumption of certain food.
2. If the diet is composed of food with a high glycemic index, there will be immediate effect resulting in the increase in the blood sugar level and in case of food with low glycemic index, there will be slow increase in the blood glucose levels and hence becomes the preferred food for a person with Diabetes.
3. The reason behind this is the inefficiency of the hormone insulin to regulate the levels of blood glucose. Thus, if food with low glycemic index are consumed, there would be relatively slower increase in the glucose levels and thus plays an important role in managing the condition.