Final answer:
The rise in blood glucose is slower when consuming starch compared to sucrose because starch, being a polysaccharide, is more complex and takes longer to digest. Sucrose, a disaccharide, is digested more quickly, leading to a faster rise in blood glucose levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concentration of glucose in the blood rises after consuming a meal rich in carbohydrates. However, the increase in blood glucose levels happens more slowly if the carbohydrate consumed is starch rather than sucrose. This is because starch is a polysaccharide consisting of a larger number of glucose units linked together, which requires more time for digestive enzymes to break down into individual glucose molecules that can be absorbed into the bloodstream. On the other hand, sucrose is a disaccharide, which is a simpler form of carbohydrate that consists of only two molecules: one glucose and one fructose. It is more quickly digested and absorbed, leading to a rapid increase in blood glucose levels.
The regulation of blood sugar levels involves several physiological processes. When there is excess blood sugar, insulin released by the pancreas facilitates the uptake of glucose by cells and promotes the storage of glucose as glycogen primarily in the liver and muscles. Conversely, a drop in blood glucose stimulates the release of glucagon, which increases glucose levels by stimulating the conversion of glycogen back to glucose.