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Wednesday, May 16, 2012

AMERICAN SERVICE

This is usually called "plate service” because the food is
already placed in the plate in the kitchen ready to be served to the
guests. This type of service is used in coffee shops where there is a
demand for quick and simple service. It requires minimal training for
novice waiters and waitresses.


Advantages:
1. It is a fast and simple service.
2. It is inexpensive. One waiter or waitress can serve many
guests and no special service equipment is necessary.
3. It does not require highly trained technical staff that demands
for higher pay.


Disadvantages:
1. Less showmanship
2. Reduced personalized attention

ENGLISH SERVICE


This type of service is also known as "family style" service. In
this service, the soup tureen is placed before the host alongside with
preheated soup plates and hands them to the waiter, indicating the
person to be served. The same procedure is followed with the main
entree. If so desired, the partly filled dinner plate is presented to the
hostess who serves the vegetables from large serving dishes placed
before her. Then the waiter places the plate before the guests. This
type of service is usually found in coffee shops, family restaurants,
counter service, etc.


Advantages:
1. It is fast. Plates of food are served immediately at the proper
temperature.
2. It is inexpensive.
3. It requires no special equipment.


Disadvantages:
1. Less showmanship.
2. Reduced personalized attention to the customer.

BUFFET SERVICE


This is also called self service and is normally used in
banquet functions and i n some restaurants. Food is attractively
arranged on a long table, classified and arranged according to
proper sequence, from appetizers to desserts. Soup is placed on a
soup tureen and the hot entrees in chaffing dishes to keep them
warm. Some equipment like dinner plates and saucers are laid
down right on the buffet table. Instead of the waiter serving the
guests, the guests go to the buffet table pick up plates, china,
cuttkery and knapkin and all other items and serve themselves of
their own choice.


Advantages:
1. It is a fast service.
2. It requires less staff to render the service needed.
3. The presentation of the different dishes can be appetizing.



Disadvantages:
1. It may result in shortage of food especially when the early
ones may serve themselves more; thus very little food is left
for the latecomers.
Posted by Hemant Kr. Singh at 3:01 AM 0 comments  
Labels: RESTAURANT SERVICE
RUSSIAN SERVICE
This type of service is the same as that of French service.
However, in Russian service, the food is fully prepared and pre-cut in
the kitchen and then neatly arranged on silver platters by the Chef.
The waiter then shows the platter to the guest as a polite gesture
and serves the food to the individual plates of the guests using
serving cutleries.


Advantages:
1. Only one waiter is needed to each station.
2. Elegant and entertaining.
3. No extra space is needed for the equipment (except for the
side stand).
4. It guarantees equal portions because the food is pre-cut and
already served.
5. Gives the guests personal attention.


Disadvantages:
1. It requires a big initial investment in silver equipment.
2. If many guests are served from one platter, the last one to be
served may see a rather less attractive display.
3. If every guest in a party orders a different dish like steak or
fish, the waiter must carry very heavily loaded tray / trays to
the dining room.

SERVICE TECHNIQUES


Serving of Food with One Hand
This service technique is used only for platter service and
involves the so-called long grip. In the long grip, the utensils are held
in the right hand. Hold the spoon between the index and middle
fingers and the fork between the index finger and the thumb. The
curves of the spoon and fork should align. Gently slide the spoon
under the item to be served, so that it is held between the fork and
spoon. Remove your index finger, apply light pressure to the fork,
and lift.




Serving of Food with Both Hands
This technique is used when working at a side table or a
buffet. When serving with both hands, hold the spoon in your right
hand and the fork in your left hand. If the food is prepared in a
sauce, always scrape the bottom of the spoon with the fork, to
prevent drips and to keep the plate you are preparing clean and
neat.




Arranging Food on the Plates
To the uninitiated, it might seem very simple to arrange food
nicely on a plate. Actually, in a refined service, food is arranged
according to particular rules that are followed the world over. Meat is
always placed at the lower part of the plate. Sauces are served
separately in a sauce boat, or they are served to the left of the meat
or fish. When a dish is cooked in a sauce, such as a curry or stews,
the sauce is served over the meat. Compound, or flavored, butters,
such as d’hote or d'hotel butter or herb butter, are placed directly on
the meat. Side dishes are arranged to achieve color harmony. A
piece of cake or pie should be served with the point facing toward
the guest. Plates with a logo or other graphic decoration should be
arranged so that the decoration is placed in front of the guest. Plates
should never appear overloaded; the rims must always be free of
food and without drip smears. Hot food is always served on hot
plates; cold food, on cold plates.




Pouring Beverages
Hold glasses by the foot or stem only, to avoid fingerprints.
Glasses are always placed to the right of the guest with the right
hand. If the glass has a logo, it should face the guest. Beverages are
always poured from the right side of the guest. When serving heavy
red wines that have been decanted or are in a wine basket, hold the
glass, slightly slanted, on the table with left hand and slowly pour out
the wine with the right hand, so that the wine sediment is not


disturbed. A bottle of wine is first presented to the host. Then the
bottle is opened, and a small amount is poured out for the host. After
the host approves, the guests are served first and the host's glass
last.


Sequence of Clearing
When an aperitif has been served, the empty glasses are
cleared only after the wine is served. If a white wine is served with
the appetizer, the empty glasses are removed only after the red wine
has been poured. The red-wine glasses are cleared after the coffee
or after-dinner drinks are served. When guests are smoking, ash
trays are always changed before a new course is served. After the
guests have finished the main course, any platters or serving dishes
on the table are removed first. Then the dinner plates are cleared
along with the flatware. Finally, any smaller plates, bread plates, and
finger bowls are removed. Before dessert is served, the table is
totally cleared, except for flowers or other decorations.

ORDER OF SERVING MEALS


Breakfast
Many customers at the breakfast hour are in a hurry. Many
people you will discover are not in the best of spirits before they
have had their first cup of coffee (or maybe not ever). A positive and
cheerful attitude displayed from the server in combination with
prompt and efficient service might help to normalise the situation.
Below is a guide that might be acceptable in most situations.
1. When a fresh fruit or fruit juice is ordered, it is desirable to
serve it first and then to remove the soiled dishes before
placing the toast and coffee.
2. When customers order a combination of cooked food, toast,
and coffee, they may ask to have the whole order served at
once. Place the fruit dish, set on an underline, in the center of
the cover, the plate of toast at the left of the forks, and the
coffee at the right of the teaspoons.
3. When the breakfast order includes a cereal and a hot dish,
the service procedure may be as follows:
a. Place the fruit course in the center of the cover.
b. Remove the fruit course.
c. Place the breakfast plate of eggs, meat, or other hot
food in the center of the cover. Place the plate of toast
at the left of the forks. Place the coffee service at the
right of the spoons.
d. Remove the breakfast plate and the bread plate.
e. Place the finger bowl, filled one-third full of warm
water. At times the finger bowl is placed after the fruit
course, when fruits which may soil the fingers have
been served.


f. Place the sales check, face down, at the right of the
cover or present it on a clean change tray.








Lunch
Lunch customers can be generally categorized into two
groups: Business people who have a short-lunch period and want
quick service, and shoppers or others who just want leisurely
service. A good server will recognize each group and try to
accommodate accordingly.
1. Fill the water glass three-fourths full of iced water.
2. Place chilled butter on cold bread-and-butter plate.
3. Place the appetizer in the center of the cover.
4. Remove the appetizer when guest has finished.
5. Place the soup service in center of cover.
6. Remove the soup entree.
7. Place entree plate in center of cover.
8. Place individual vegetable dishes above the cover.
9. Place hot beverages above and a little to the right of cup
and sauce, with individual creamer above the cup.
10. Place an iced beverage or milk at the right and a little
below the water glass.
11. Remove the main-course dishes.
12. Remove any extra silver not used in the main course.
13. Crumb the table, if necessary.
14. Place dessert silver to right of the cover with fork nearest
the dessert plate, when fork and teaspoon are used.
When several teaspoons are placed, the dessert fork
may be laid on the left side, to "balance the cover"
15. Place the dessert service in center of the cover.
16. Remove dessert dishes and silver.
17. Place the finger-bowl on the underliner in the center of
the cover.
18. Present the Check face down.








Dinner
Dinner customers are seldom in a hurry. The server should
be able to give leisurely service without making the guest feel
rushed. Although the guest should be allowed plenty of time to
complete each course, long waits between courses should be
avoided (especially when small children are present.) An efficient
server should observe the guests during the meal in order to serve
the next course promptly, and to comply with any requests made by
guests for special needs. This is a generally accepted guidelines, but
does not apply to all situations.


1. Place appetizer or hors d'oeuvre service from the left in
the center of the cover.
2. Remove the first-course dishes.
3. Place the soup service in the center of the cover.
4. Remove the soup service.
5. When the entree is served on a platter, place it directly
above the cover. Lay the serving silver at the right of the
platter. Place the warm dinner plate in the center of the
cover.
6. Place the beverage to the right of the teaspoons.
7. Offer rolls or place them on the center of the table in
reach of all the guests.
8. Remove the main-course dishes when the guest has
finished.
9. Crumb the table if necessary.
10. Place silver for dessert course.
11. Place the dessert service in the center of the cover.
12. Offer hot coffee or tea.
13. Serve the check face down.

FIVE DIAMOND SERVICE

1. Hostess or Maitre d’ seats and welcomes guests
2. Front waiter lights the candle and offers mineral or
served water. If mineral water is sold, silver coaster is
placed on table under water bottle.
3. Captain asks for cocktails and gives the wine list. He will
serve cocktails and leave the list on the table, if the guest
are a couple, the Captain will point out wine by the glass
or half bottles wine selections.
4. Back server delivers and explains the amuse, after
cocktails are served.
5. Front server clears Amuse and Maitre d’ or Captain
presents the menu and explains the specials.
6. Sonmuna’ or Captain takes the wine order, pours and
explains each selection. Captain waiter continues to offer
cocktails
7. Maitre d’ takes order and gives service copy the Front
waiter, who proceeds to remove base plates and give
proper mis en place for up to two “2 courses.” Front
waiter is to keep service copy slips on his person at all
times.
8. Brioche and butter service is done by the Back waiter will
maintaining the clearing and replacing of napkins.


9. First course and brioche refills are delivered by the
Runner to the Front server on the floor, who then serves
them. Pepper is to be offered on all salad dishes.
10. First course are cleared by the back waiter, and mis en
place is rechecked by front waiter.
11. Runner is to correctly number the domes, and entrees
are to be served with assistance of the Back waiter. Back
water is to know position # 1 on all the tables in his
section.
12. Back waiter clears table after main course and crumbs
the table. Coffee order is taken, cheese selection is
explained and the desert, cognac, port, sherry menu is
presented.
13. Front waiter takes dessert order and gives proper mis en.
14. Back waiter delivers desserts and coffee.
15. Captain brings over cart and offers cognacs, ports, or
cherry’s.

SPECIAL OBSERVATIONS WHILE SERVING MEALS

There are many things a server must attend to to become
fully efficient. Here are a few tips a server can use to take
advantage:
1. Serve hot food hot, on heated dishes.
2. Serve cold food chilled, on cold dishes.
3. Inquire how food is to be cooked:
a. Eggs - fried or boiled, scrambled etc...
b. Steak - rare, medium, or well done etc...
c. Toast - buttered or dry
4. Refill water glasses whenever necessary during the
meal.
5. Refill coffee. Customer will let you know if they've had
enough.
6. Place silver necessary for a course just prior to serving:
a. Soup spoon on extreme right of teaspoons.
b. Cocktail fork to right of soup spoon.
7. Offer crackers, bread, other accompaniments with
appetizers or soups.
8. Provide iced teaspoons for ice drinks, straws with
appropriate beverages.

GENERAL RULES TO BE OBSERVED WHILE SERVING


1. Women are usually served first. If it is an honorary dinner, of
course, the guest of honor is served first. Otherwise, age and
status of the guest determine the sequence, with older or more
distinguished guests served first. The host is always served after
his or her guests. When children are present at the table, serve
them as quickly as possible to maintain peace.
2. Place and remove all food from the left of the guest.
3. Place and remove all beverages, including water, from the right
of the guest.
4. Use the left hand to place and remove dishes when working at
the left side of the guest and the right hand when working at the
right side of the guest. This will provide free arm action for the
server and avoids the danger of bumping against the guest's
arm.
5. Place each dish on the table with the four fingers of the hand
under the lower edge and the thumb on the upper edge.


6. Never reach in front of a guest, nor across one person in order
to serve another.
7. Present Serving dishes from the left side, in a position so that
the guest can serve himself. Place serving silver on the right
side of the dish, with the handles turned toward the guest so that
he may reach and handle them easily.
8. Do not place soiled, chipped, or cracked glassware and china or
bent or tarnished silverware before a guest.
9. Handle tumblers by their bases and goblets by their stems.
10. Do not lift water glasses from the table to fill or refill. When they
cannot be reached conveniently, draw them to a more
convenient position.
11. Set fruit juice and cocktail glasses, cereal dishes, soup bowls,
and dessert dishes on small plates before placing them in the
center of the cover between the knife and the fork.
12. Place individual serving trays of bread and rolls above and to the
left of the forks. Place a tray or basket of bread for the use of
several guests toward the center of the table.
13. Place the cup and saucer at the right of the spoons, about two
inches from the edge of the table. Turn the handle of the cup to
the right, either parallel to the edge of the table or at a slight
angle toward the guest.
14. Set tea and coffee pots on small plates and place above and
slightly to the right of the beverage cup. Set iced beverage
glasses on coasters or small plates to protect table tops and
linen cloth.
15. Place individual creamers, syrup pitchers, and small lemon
plates about and a little to the right of the cup and saucer.
16. Place a milk glass at the right of and below the water glass.
17. Serve butter, cheese, and cut lemon with a fork, serve relishes,
pickles, and olives with a fork or spoon, not with the fingers.

Continental Breakfast


For a continental breakfast consisting of hot croissant/
brioches or hot toast, butter, preserves and coffee or tea, the cover
would be as follows:
i) Stands or underplates for coffee / tea pot and hot milk /
hot water jug or pouches of tea or instant coffee.
ii) Side plate with side knife
iii) Sugar cubes basin and tongs or individual sugar and
creamer packets in a bowl
iv) Tea or breakfast cup and saucer and a teaspoon
v) If the beverage is tea, then the following additional items
will be needed: slop basin and tea strainer.
vi) Napkin
vii) Ashtray (depending on smoking policy of the
establishment)

The majority of the items listed above for the two types of
breakfast are often placed on the table as part of the mise-en-place,
before the customer is seated. A number of items are then placed on
the table after the customer is seated and makes his choice of
breakfast known. These include:
• butter dish with butter and alternatives
• preserve dish with preserves
• jug of cold milk
• toast rack with toast and / or bread basket with hot rolls
• tea pot / coffee pot / hot or cold milk / hot water jug.

ORDER OF SERVICE FOR BREAKFAST

Pleasing and g ood breakfast service is important because guests are not always at their best in the morning. Foods served for
breakfast must be palatable, freshly prepared and served at correct
temperature. Often breakfast should be served in courses unless it is
requested by the client as a whole. Cooked food and beverages
should be brought to the guests directly from the serving station and
under no circumstances food be allowed to remain on the serving
stand to cool off while the customer finishes a preceding course.
Order of Service for Breakfast
· When fresh fruit or fuit juice is ordered, it is desirable to serve
it first, and then to remove the soiled dishes before placing
the toast and coffee.
· When customers order a combination of cooked fruit, toast
and coffee, they may ask to have the whole order be
served in one go. Place the fruit dish, set on an underliner.
In the centre of the cover, place the plate of toast at the left
of the forks and the coffee at the right of the teaspoons.
· When the breakfast order includes cereal and a hot dish, the
service procedure may be as follows:
o Place the fruit course in the center of the cover.
o Remove the soiled fruit dish
o Place the cereal bowl, set an underliner, in the
center of the cover. Cut the individual boxes of
cereal partway through the side near the top so
that the guest may open them easily.
o Remove the soiled cereal dish
o Place the breakfast plates of eggs, meat or other
hot food in the center of the cover. Place the plate
of toast at the left of the forks. Place the coffee
service at the right of the spoons.
o Remove the breakfast and bread plates.
o Place the finger bowl with a slice of lime or lemon,
one third full of warm water. At times the finger
bowl is placed after the fruit course when fruits
that may soil the finger have been served.

Flavour reversion

Flavour Reversion is defined as a change in edible fats that is characterized by the development, in the refined material, of an objectionable flavour prior to the onset of true rancidity. It may develop during the exposure of the fat to ultra violet or visible light or by heating. A small amount of oxygen seems to be necessary for the reaction that is catalysed by the presence of small amounts of metals such as iron and copper. Selective hydrogenation decreases the amount of linolenic acid and aids in preventing flavour reversion. Soyabean oil is most susceptible for flavour reversion.

Autoxidation is any oxidation that occurs in open air or in presence of oxygen and/or UV radiation and forms peroxides andhydroperoxides. A classic example of autoxidation is that of simple ethers like diethyl ether, whose peroxides can be dangerously explosive. It can be considered to be a slow, flameless combustion of materials by reaction with oxygen. Autoxidation is important because it is a useful reaction for converting compounds to oxygenated derivatives, and also because it occurs in situations where it is not desired (as in the destructive cracking of the rubber in automobile tires).It well known that fats become rancid, even when kept at low temperatures. This is especially true for polyunsaturated fats


The complex mixture of compounds found in wine, including polyphenols, polysaccharides, and proteins, can undergo autoxidation during the ageing process. Simple polyphenols can lead to the formation of B-type procyanidins in wines or in model solutions This is correlated to the browning color change characteristic of this process.
This phenomenon is also observed in carrot puree

arbohydrates are one of three macronutrients that provide the body with energy ( protein and fats being the other two). The chemical compounds in carbohydrates are found in both simple and complex forms, and in order for the body to use carbohydrates for energy, food must undergo digestion, absorption , and glycolysis . It is recommended that 55 to 60 percent of caloric intake come from carbohydrates.


Chemical Structure


Carbohydrates are a main source of energy for the body and are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen . Chlorophyll in plants absorbs light energy from the sun. This energy is used in the process of photosynthesis, which allows green plants to take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen and allows for the production of carbohydrates. This process converts the sun's light energy into a form of chemical energy useful to humans. Plants transform carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from the air, water (H 2 O) from the ground, and energy from the sun into oxygen (O 2 ) and carbohydrates (C 6 H 12 O 6 ) (6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O + energy = C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 ). Most carbohydrates have a ratio of 1:2:1 of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, respectively.
Humans and other animals obtain carbohydrates by eating foods that contain them. In order to use the energy contained in the carbohydrates, humans must metabolize , or break down, the structure of the molecule in a process that is opposite that of photosynthesis. It starts with the carbohydrate and oxygen and produces carbon dioxide, water, and energy. The body utilizes the energy and water and rids itself of the carbon dioxide.

Simple Carbohydrates


Simple carbohydrates, or simple sugars, are composed of monosaccharide or disaccharide units. Common monosaccharides (carbohydrates composed of single sugar units) include glucose , fructose, and galactose. Glucose is the most common type of sugar and the primary form of sugar that is stored in the body for energy. It sometimes is referred to as blood sugar or dextrose and is of particular importance to individuals who have diabetes or hypoglycemia . Fructose, the primary sugar found in fruits, also is found in honey and high-fructose corn syrup (in soft drinks) and is a major source of sugar in the diet of Americans. Galactose is less likely than glucose or fructose to be found in nature. Instead, it often combines with glucose to form the disaccharide lactose, often referred to as milk sugar. Both fructose and galactose are metabolized to glucose for use by the body.


Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates made of two to ten monosaccharides. Those composed of two sugars are specifically referred to as disaccharides, or double sugars. They contain two monosaccharides bound by either an alpha bond or a beta bond. Alpha bonds are digestible by the human body, whereas beta bonds are more difficult for the body to break down.
There are three particularly important disaccharides: sucrose , maltose, and lactose. Sucrose is formed when glucose and fructose are held together by an alpha bond. It is found in sugar cane or sugar beets and is refined to make granulated table sugar. Varying the degree of purification alters the


SUGAR COMPARISON
Sugar Carbohydrate Monosaccharide or disaccharide Additional information
Beet sugar (cane sugar) Sucrose Disaccharide (fructose and glucose) Similar to white and powdered sugar, but varied degree of purification
Brown sugar Sucrose Disaccharide (fructose and glucose) Similar to white and powdered sugar, but varied degree of purification
Corn syrup Glucose Monosaccharide
Fruit sugar Fructose Monosaccharide Very sweet
High-fructose corn syrup Fructose Monosaccharide Very sweet and inexpensive 
Added to soft drinks and canned or frozen fruits
Honey Fructose and glucose Monosaccharides
Malt sugar Maltose Disaccharide (glucose and glucose) Formed by the hydrolysis of starch, but sweeter than starch
Maple syrup Sucrose Disaccharide (fructose and glucose)
Milk sugar Lactose Disaccharide (glucose and galactose) Made in mammary glands of most lactating animals
Powdered sugar Sucrose Disaccharide (fructose and glucose) Similar to white and brown sugar, but varied degree of purification
White sugar Sucrose Disaccharide (fructose and glucose) Similar to brown and powdered sugar, but varied degree of purification
SOURCE: Mahan and Escott-Stump, 2000; Northwestern University; Sizer and Whitney, 1997; and Wardlaw and Kessel, 2002.




final product, but white, brown, and powdered sugars all are forms of sucrose. Maltose, or malt sugar, is composed of two glucose units linked by an alpha bond. It is produced from the chemical decomposition of starch, which occurs during the germination of seeds and the production of alcohol. Lactose is a combination of glucose and galactose. Because it contains a beta bond, it is hard for some individuals to digest in large quantities. Effective digestion requires sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase.


Complex Carbohydrates


Complex carbohydrates, or polysaccharides, are composed of simple sugar units in long chains called polymers. Three polysaccharides are of particular importance in human nutrition : starch, glycogen , and dietary fiber .


Starch and glycogen are digestible forms of complex carbohydrates made of strands of glucose units linked by alpha bonds. Starch, often contained in seeds, is the form in which plants store energy, and there are two types: amylose and amylopectin. Starch represents the main type of digestible complex carbohydrate. Humans use an enzyme to break down the bonds linking glucose units, thereby releasing the sugar to be absorbed into the bloodstream. At that point, the body can distribute glucose to areas that need energy, or it can store the glucose in the form of glycogen.


Glycogen is the polysaccharide used to store energy in animals, including humans. Like starch, glycogen is made up of chains of glucose linked by alpha bonds; but glycogen chains are more highly branched than starch. It is this highly branched structure that allows the bonds to be more quickly broken down by enzymes in the body. The primary storage sites for glycogen in the human body are the liver and the muscles.


Another type of complex carbohydrate is dietary fiber. In general, dietary fiber is considered to be polysaccharides that have not been digested at the point of entry into the large intestine. Fiber contains sugars linked by bonds that cannot be broken down by human enzymes, and are therefore



Pastas and whole-grain breads contain complex carbohydrates, which are long strands of glucose molecules. Nutritionists recommend that 55–60 percent of calories come from carbohydrates, and especially complex carbohydrates.
[Photograph by James Noble. Corbis. Reproduced by permission.]
labeled as indigestible. Because of this, most fibers do not provide energy for the body. Fiber is derived from plant sources and contains polysaccharides such as cellulose , hemicellulose, pectin, gums, mucilages, and lignins.


The indigestible fibers cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin make up the structural part of plants and are classified as insoluble fiber because they usually do not dissolve in water. Cellulose is a nonstarch carbohydrate polymer made of a straight chain of glucose molecules linked by beta bonds and can be found in whole-wheat flour, bran, and vegetables. Hemicellulose is a nonstarch carbohydrate polymer made of glucose, galactose, xylose, and other monosaccharides; it can be found in bran and whole grains. Lignin, a noncarbohydrate polymer containing alcohols and acids, is a woody fiber found in wheat bran and the seeds of fruits and vegetables.


In contrast, pectins, mucilages, and gums are classified as soluble fibers because they dissolve or swell in water. They are not broken down by human enzymes, but instead can be metabolized (or fermented) by bacteria present in the large intestine. Pectin is a fiber made of galacturonic acid and other monosaccharides. Because it absorbs water and forms a gel, it is often used in jams and jellies. Sources of pectin include citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, and carrots. Mucilages and gums are similar in structure. Mucilages are dietary fibers that contain galactose, manose, and other monosaccharides; and gums are dietary fibers that contain galactose, glucuronic acid, and other monosaccharides. Sources of gums include oats, legumes , guar, and barley.


Digestion and Absorption


Carbohydrates must be digested and absorbed in order to transform them into energy that can be used by the body. Food preparation often aids in the digestion process. When starches are heated, they swell and become easier for the body to break down. In the mouth, the enzyme amylase, which is contained in saliva, mixes with food products and breaks some starches into smaller units. However, once the carbohydrates reach the acidic environment of the stomach, the amylase is inactivated. After the carbohydrates have passed through the stomach and into the small intestine, key digestive enzymes are secreted from the pancreas and the small intestine where most digestion and absorption occurs. Pancreatic amylase breaks starch into disaccharides and small polysaccharides, and enzymes from the cells of the small-intestinal wall break any remaining disaccharides into their monosaccharide components. Dietary fiber is not digested by the small intestine; instead, it passes to the colon unchanged.


Sugars such as galactose, glucose, and fructose that are found naturally in foods or are produced by the breakdown of polysaccharides enter into absorptive intestinal cells. After absorption, they are transported to the liver where galactose and fructose are converted to glucose and released into the bloodstream. The glucose may be sent directly to organs that need energy, it may be transformed into glycogen (in a process called glycogenesis) for storage in the liver or muscles, or it may be converted to and stored as fat.


Glycolysis


The molecular bonds in food products do not yield high amounts of energy when broken down. Therefore, the energy contained in food is released within cells and stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a high-energy compound created by cellular energy-production systems. Carbohydrates are metabolized and used to produce ATP molecules through a process called glycolysis.


Glycolysis breaks down glucose or glycogen into pyruvic acid through enzymatic reactions within the cytoplasm of the cells. The process results in the formation of three molecules of ATP (two, if the starting product was glucose). Without the presence of oxygen, pyruvic acid is changed to lactic acid , and the energy-production process ends. However, in the presence of oxygen, larger amounts of ATP can be produced. In that situation, pyruvic acid is transformed into a chemical compound called acetyle coenzyme A, a compound that begins a complex series of reactions in the Krebs Cycle and the electron transport system. The end result is a net gain of up to thirty-nine molecules of ATP from one molecule of glycogen (thirty-eight molecules of ATP if glucose was used). Thus, through certain systems, glucose can be used very efficiently in the production of energy for the body.
Recommended Intake


At times, carbohydrates have been incorrectly labeled as "fattening." Evidence actually supports the consumption of more, rather than less, starchy foods. Carbohydrates have four calories per gram, while dietary fats contribute nine per gram, so diets high in complex carbohydrates are likely to provide fewer calories than diets high in fat. Recommendations are for 55 to 60 percent of total calories to come from carbohydrates (approximately 275 to 300 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet). The majority of carbohydrate calories should come from complex rather than simple carbohydrates. Of total caloric intake, approximately 45 to 50 percent of calories should be from complex carbohydrates, and 10 percent or less from simple carbohydrates.


Low-Carb Diets


Low-carbohydrate diets, such as the Atkins and South Beach diets, are based on the proposition that it's not fat that makes you fat. Allowing dieters to eat steak, butter, eggs, bacon, and other high-fat foods, these diets instead outlaw starches and refined carbohydrates on the theory that they are metabolized so quickly that they lead to hunger and overeating. This theory, which was first popularized in the nineteenth century, came under scathing criticism from the medical establishment during the early 1970s when Dr. Robert Atkins published the phenomenally popular low-carb diet bearing his name. According to the American Medical Association (AMA), the Atkins diet was a "bizarre regimen" that advocated "an unlimited intake of saturated fats and cholesterol-rich foods" and therefore presented a considerable risk of heart disease. Most doctors recommended instead a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrates, with plenty of grains, fruits, and vegetables and limited red meat or dairy products. This became the received wisdom during the 1980s, at the same time that the U.S. waistline began to expand precipitously. As dieters found that weight loss was difficult to maintain on a low-fat diet, low-carb diets regained popularity—with as many as 30 million people trying a low-carb diet in 2003. Several small-scale studies began to suggest that a low-carb diet may indeed be effective and may not have the deleterious effects its detractors have claimed; other research found that any benefits of a low-carb diet are short-lived, and that the negative effects will take decades to become evident. The National Institutes of Health has pledged $2.5 million for a five-year study of the Atkins diet with 360 subjects. While the results of this and other large-scale studies are awaited, many researchers stress that the key issue in maintaining a healthy weight is the number of calories consumed, not the type of calories. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that adults obtain 45 to 65 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 20 to 35 percent from fat, and 10 to 35 percent from protein.
—Paula Kepos


It is important to consume a minimum amount of carbohydrates to prevent ketosis , a condition resulting from the breakdown of fat for energy in the absence of carbohydrates. In this situation, products of fat breakdown, called ketone bodies, build up in the blood and alter normal pHbalance. This can be particularly harmful to a fetus. To avoid ketosis, daily carbohydrate intake should include a minimum of 50 to 100 grams. In terms of dietary fiber, a minimum intake of 20 to 35 grams per day is recommended.


Exchange System


The exchange system is composed of lists that describe carbohydrate, fat, and protein content, as well as caloric content, for designated portions of specific foods. This system takes into account the presence of more than one type of nutrient in any given food. Exchange lists are especially useful for individuals who require careful diet planning, such as those who monitor intake of calories or certain nutrients. It is particularly useful for diabetics, for whom carbohydrate intake must be carefully controlled, and was originally developed for planning diabetic diets.


Diabetes, Carbohydrate-Modified Diets, and Carbohydrate Counting


Diabetes is a condition that alters the way the body handles carbohydrates. In terms of diet modifications, diabetics can control blood sugar levels by appropriately managing the carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in their meals. The amount of carbohydrates, not necessarily the source, is the primary issue. Blood glucose levels after a meal can be related to the process of food preparation, the amount of food eaten, fat intake, sugar absorption, and the combination of foods in the meal or snack.
One method of monitoring carbohydrate levels—carbohydrate counting—assigns a certain number of carbohydrate grams or exchanges to specific foods. Calculations are used to determine insulin need, resulting in better control of blood glucose levels with a larger variety of foods. Overall, diabetic diets can include moderate amounts of sugar, as long as they are carefully monitored.