CARBOHYDRATE

 

A carbohydrate is a sugar, starch, or cellulose that is an essential structural component and source of energy of living cells.

Carbohydrates are divided into four main chemical groupings. (Sometimes oligosaccharides and polysaccharides are combined into a single category.)

• Monosaccharides are simple sugars that cannot be broken down into smaller carbohydrates. Examples include glucose and fructose.
• Disaccharides are two monosaccharides joined together. Examples include sucrose and lactose.
• Oligosaccharides are composed of between 3-10 monosacchrides joined together by glycosidic bonds. Examples include raffinose and stachyose.
• Polysaccharides are composed of greater than 10 monosaccharide molecules joined to gether by glycosidic bonds. Examples include starch and glycogen.

Foods that are rich in carbohydrates include fruits, beans, potatoes (and other tubers), rice, cereal grains, breads, pastas, sweets, and regular soft drinks.

 

Additional Information about Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates from the National Institutes of Health (USA)

Learning about carbohydrates from Kidshealth.org

Carbohydrates - The Bottom Line from Harvard University (USA)

 

Related Topics

Fructose

Gluconeogenesis

Glycolipid

Glycoprotein

 

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