What Is Glucose & Why Do We Get Instant Energy From Glucose?
Why Do We Get Instant Energy From Glucose?
Glucose is a type of simple sugar that gets easily absorbed by the body.
Why do we get instant energy from glucose? Unlike other carbohydrates, glucose does not require to be processed in the gut. Instead, it gives energy directly after being absorbed into the bloodstream. The glucose then gets transported to the cells in your body, where it undergoes oxidation and releases energy. Energy is released in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) molecules in the cells. ATP molecules are high-energy molecules that provide the cells with energy for proper functioning. This is how we get instant energy from glucose.
What Is Glucose?
For understanding what glucose is, you need first to understand the basics of sugars. Sugars are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides mean simple sugar (smallest carbohydrates). For example, glucose is a type of monosaccharide. Glucose is a simple sugar. Other examples of monosaccharides are fructose, galactose, and ribose. Glucose is nothing but a simple kind of carbohydrate.
It can be present in the body from the food you eat and as readily available glucose powders.
The fundamental difference between glucose and fructose is that both these sugars are metabolised differently by your body. Fructose has a lower glycaemic index as compared to glucose. But the glycaemic load of fructose is higher than glucose. This means that fructose can cause more damage to the cells than glucose. It is because fructose binds to the cellular proteins faster than glucose and releases more oxygen radicals. Radicals can be destructive to health and kill everything within their sight.
Benefits of Glucose
Glucose benefits your body by providing instant energy as and when required. Glucose benefits include:
1) Treatment of hypoglycaemia -
Hypoglycaemia is a condition where the blood sugar levels drop much lower than normal levels. Glucose benefits by increasing your blood sugar levels instantly.
2) Treatment of hyperkalaemia -
Hyperkalaemia is a condition where the potassium levels in your body are higher than average. Here, glucose benefits by helping push out the excess potassium from the cells in the blood and through excretion.
3) Regulate blood sugar levels -
Glucose benefits your body by controlling your blood sugar levels. When your body is unable to produce enough sugar, having glucose helps maintain normal blood sugar levels.
4) Helps in post-alcohol binge -
After one has had too much alcohol, the glucose levels in the body drop. Therefore, having glucose benefits by maintaining your energy levels in the body.
How to Make Glucose at Home
It is easy to make glucose at home. All you need are the following ingredients.
Ingredients required to make glucose:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1/3 tablespoon citric acid
- 6-7 drops of flavour essence of your choice
- ¼ teaspoon of food colouring
- Airtight container
Method:
How to make glucose at home? Follow these simple steps:
- Whisk the sugar and cornflour together into a fine powder.
- Add your flavour essence of choice like mango, pineapple, orange, etc.
- Add the food colouring of your choice.
- Mix everything together.
- Add citric acid to the mixture for that hint of sour taste. Citric acid also helps preserve the glucose powder for a longer time.
- Once the powder is thoroughly mixed, store the mix in an airtight container.
- Your homemade glucose powder can be kept safe for six months.
Now that you know how to make glucose at home, you can make a fresh batch for yourself and keep it handy for use.
Uses of Glucose
Uses of glucose for the body include the following -
1) Energy production
Glucose is an instant source of energy. It is a simple sugar that provides your cells with energy immediately on consumption. If you cannot eat anything due to an illness or trauma or due to a medical condition, glucose gives the energy one requires to function.
2) Manage blood sugar levels
Glucose helps regulate your blood sugar levels. If you are low on sugar, eating glucose helps in maintaining your blood sugar levels.
Also Read: Is Jaggery Good For Diabetes?
3) Alcohol addiction
Intake of alcohol causes a temporary rise in your blood sugar levels. This sudden spike makes your body process the extra sugar quickly. The sugar spike gets metabolised right away and causes a low sugar situation.
Alcohol also tends to lower your blood sugar levels by reducing your liver’s capacity of releasing glucose.
Having glucose benefits in such situations by maintaining a normal blood sugar level on consumption.
4) Potassium excretion
Glucose helps in pushing the potassium out of your cells into the bloodstream. The excess potassium is then carried to the kidneys to be excreted out of the body.