Carbohydrates and fats are considered high-energy foods because..?
Question 4 ?options:
they are easily reduced.
they have a lot of oxygen atoms.
they can have very long carbon skeletons.
they have no nitrogen in their makeup.
they have a lot of electrons associated with hydrogen.
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is: they have a lot of electrons associated with hydrogen.
Explanation:
Carbohydrates and fats are considered high-energy foods because of the way their chemical structures are organized and how they interact with oxygen during metabolism. At the molecular level, both carbohydrates (like sugars) and fats (lipids) consist of long chains of carbon atoms, with hydrogen atoms bonded to these carbons. These molecules also contain oxygen atoms, but it is the hydrogen atoms that play a crucial role in their energy release during digestion and metabolism.
The key factor is that the carbon-hydrogen bonds in these molecules are rich in electrons. During cellular respiration, the body breaks these bonds to release energy. When these electrons are transferred to oxygen molecules during the process, energy is released in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which the body uses for various cellular functions. This is why fats and carbohydrates are considered energy-dense foods.
For example, fats have a higher number of carbon-hydrogen bonds than carbohydrates, making them a more concentrated source of energy. When fats are metabolized, they produce more ATP per molecule than carbohydrates do. This is why fats are often used as a long-term energy store in the body, while carbohydrates provide a more immediate energy source.
The statement that fats and carbohydrates “have a lot of electrons associated with hydrogen” is central to their role as high-energy foods because the more hydrogen atoms attached to carbon atoms, the more energy is available when these bonds are broken. This is contrasted with substances like proteins, which also contain nitrogen atoms, but their role is primarily in building and repairing tissues rather than serving as a primary energy source.