Category: Carbohydrates

The importance of carbohydrates to living things can hardly be overemphasized. The energy stores of most animals and plants are both carbohydrate and lipid in nature; carbohydrates are generally available as an immediate energy source, whereas lipids act as a long-term energy resource and tend to be utilized at a slower rate. Glucose, the prevalent uncombined, or free, sugar circulating in the blood…

Although a number of classification schemes have been devised for carbohydrates, the division into four major groups—monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides—used here is among the most common. Most monosaccharides, or simple sugars, are found in grapes, other fruits, and honey. Although they can contain from three to nine carbon atoms, the most common representatives consist of five or six joined…

Carbohydrates that are not monosaccharides—that is, the disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides—are polymers, made up of more than one simpler unit, or monomer. In this case, the monomer is a simple sugar or monosaccharide.

Carbohydrates are divided into four types: monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides consist of a simple sugar; that is, they have the chemical formula C6H12O6. Disaccharides are two simple sugars. Oligosaccharides are three to six monosaccharide units, and polysaccharides are more than six.

The chemical formula of a carbohydrate is Cx(H2O)y, which denotes some carbons (C) with some water molecules (H2O) attached—hence the word carbohydrate, which means “hydrated carbon.”

A carbohydrate is a naturally occurring compound, or a derivative of such a compound, with the general chemical formula Cx(H2O)y, made up of molecules of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). Carbohydrates are the most widespread organic substances and play a vital role in all life.

You do need to eat some carbohydrates to give your body energy. But it’s important to eat the right kinds of carbohydrates for your health:

Common foods with carbohydrates include: Some foods don’t have a lot of carbohydrates, such as meat, fish, poultry, some types of cheese, nuts, and oils.

It is also a complex carbohydrate. Your body cannot break down most fibers, so eating foods with fiber can help you feel full and make you less likely to overeat. Diets high in fiber have other health benefits. They may help prevent stomach or intestinal problems, such as constipation. They may also help lower cholesterol and blood sugar.…

They are complex carbohydrates, which are made of lots of simple sugars strung together. Your body needs to break starches down into sugars to use them for energy. Starches include bread, cereal, and pasta. They also include certain vegetables, like potatoes, peas, and corn.