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We have all heard this name more than once. At the mere recollection of her, it becomes sweet in the mouth, but in the soul it is good. Glucose is found in many fruits and berries, and it can also be produced by the body on its own. In addition, glucose is also found in delicious grapes, thanks to which it got its second name – inforeign sugar… The third name for glucose is dextrose… This term is often indicated in the composition of juices of foreign origin.
Glucose-rich foods:
Indicated approximate quantity in 100 g of product
General characteristics of glucose
In terms of its chemical structure, glucose is a hexatomic sugar. In the article on carbohydrates, we have already mentioned that the glucose link is found not only in mono-, but also in di- and polysaccharides. It was discovered in 1802 by the London physician William Prout. In humans and animals, glucose is the main source of energy. In addition to fruits and vegetables, sources of glucose are: animal muscle glycogen and plant starch. Glucose is also present in the plant polymer, of which all the cell walls of higher plants are composed. This plant polymer is called cellulose.
Daily glucose requirement
The main function of glucose is to provide our body with energy. However, as it is not difficult to guess, its quantity should have a specific figure. So, for example, for a person weighing 70 kg, the norm is 185 grams of glucose per day. At the same time, 120 grams are consumed by brain cells, 35 grams – by striated muscles, and the remaining 30 grams are used to feed red blood cells. The rest of our body’s tissues use fatty energy sources.
In order to calculate the individual body’s need for glucose, it is necessary to multiply 2.6 g / kg by the actual body weight.
The need for glucose increases with:
Since glucose is an energetically active substance, the amount that should be consumed by a person depends on his type of activity, as well as on his psychophysiological state.
The need for glucose increases if a person is doing work that requires a lot of energy. Such works include not only digging and throwing operations, but also the implementation of computational-planning operations performed by the brain. Therefore, for knowledge workers, as well as for manual workers, an increased amount of glucose is required.
However, do not forget the statement of Paracelsus that any medicine can become poison, and any poison can turn into medicine. It all depends on the dose. Therefore, when increasing the consumed glucose, do not forget about a reasonable amount!
The need for glucose decreases with:
If a person has a tendency to diabetes, as well as a sedentary lifestyle (not associated with mental stress), the amount of glucose consumed should be reduced. As a result, a person will receive the required amount of energy not from easily digestible glucose, but from fats, which, instead of being stored for a rainy day, will be used for energy production.
Glucose digestibility
As mentioned above, glucose is found not only in berries and fruits, but also in starch, as well as in animal muscle glycogen.
At the same time, glucose, presented in the form of mono- and disaccharides, is very quickly converted into water, carbon dioxide and a certain amount of energy. As for starch and glycogen, in this case, it takes more time to process glucose. Cellulose, in the mammalian body, is not digested at all. However, it plays the role of a brush for the walls of the gastrointestinal tract.
Useful properties of glucose and its effect on the body
Glucose is the most important source of energy for the body and also has a detoxifying function. Due to this, it is prescribed for all diseases in which the formation of toxins is possible, ranging from a banal cold, and up to poisoning with poisons. Glucose obtained by hydrolysis of starch is used in the confectionery industry and in medicine.
Interaction with essential elements
In the human body, glucose interacts with vitamins A and C, water, and oxygen. In tandem with glucose, oxygen provides nutrition to the red blood cells. In addition, glucose is highly soluble in water.
Signs of a lack of glucose in the body
Our entire society can be conditionally divided into three groups. The first group includes the so-called sweet tooth. The second group consists of people who are indifferent to sweets. Well, the third group does not like sweets at all (as a matter of principle). Some are afraid of diabetes, others are afraid of extra calories, etc. However, this limitation is permissible only for people already suffering from diabetes, or prone to it.
For the rest, I would like to say that since the main function of glucose is to provide our body with energy, its lack can lead not only to lethargy and apathy, but also to more serious problems. One of these problems is muscle weakness. It manifests itself in a general decrease in muscle tone throughout the body. And since our heart is also a muscle organ, a lack of glucose can lead to the fact that the heart will not be able to perform its task.
In addition, with a lack of glucose, hypoglycemic disorders may occur, accompanied by general weakness, loss of consciousness, and disruption of the activity of all body systems. As for diabetics, they prefer foods containing long-term assimilation glucose. These are all kinds of cereals, potatoes, beef and lamb.
Signs of excess glucose in the body
High blood sugar may be a sign of excess glucose. Normally, it is in the range of 3.3 – 5.5. This fluctuation depends on the individual characteristics of the person. If your blood sugar level is above 5.5, you should definitely visit an endocrinologist. If it turns out that this jump was caused by an increased consumption of sweets the day before (for example, they were at a birthday party and feasted on a cake), then everything is in order. If the data for sugar levels are high, regardless of the food you eat, you should think about a visit to the doctor.
Glucose for beauty and health
As with everything else, in the case of glucose, you must adhere to the golden mean. Excess glucose in the body can lead to excess weight, diabetes, and lack of it can lead to weakness. For successful exercise, blood glucose must be maintained at an optimal level. The most beneficial fast-absorbing glucose is found in honey, raisins, dates, and other sweet fruits. Slow absorption glucose, which is essential for long-term energy maintenance, is found in various cereals.
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