FROM MY PT SCHOOL NOTES · NUTRITION · UNIT 2 · CHAPTER 07
Carbohydrates, Glycogen, and Fiber
Carbohydrates occur as sugars, starches, and fiber. The lecture connects their structures with digestion, glucose regulation, satiety, and dietary quality.
What matters most
- Sugar building blocks. Glucose, fructose, and galactose are monosaccharides; sucrose, lactose, and maltose are common disaccharides.
- Starch and glycogen. Dietary starch contains glucose units; glycogen is the body’s storage form of glucose, particularly in liver and skeletal muscle.
- Fiber. Soluble and insoluble fibers differ in properties. Fiber can support GI function, food quality, and, for certain fibers, glycemic or lipid outcomes.
Macronutrient energy at a glance
Carbohydrates: approximately 4 kcal/g. Protein: approximately 4 kcal/g. Fat: approximately 9 kcal/g. These are conventional food-energy factors, not individual metabolic measurements.
The PT connection
For a person with diabetes, movement and carbohydrate intake may interact with medication timing and glucose response. Stay within the agreed diabetes care plan and involve the appropriate care team.
Current-practice perspective
Older slides include dated sugar recommendations and generalizations about sweeteners. Use current guidance for quantitative targets; do not copy obsolete product lists.
From my original course material: 7 Carbs.pdf (pp. 2–11, 12–29, 30–36). These are personal PT-school class notes adapted for education. Historical claims require current source verification. Not individualized nutrition advice or a substitute for a registered dietitian or prescribing team.
