Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates


  • The most abundant by organic molecule on earth
  • Composed of a carbon hydrogen and oxygen atoms linked together
  • Primary fuel source for body cells
  • Commonly known as sugar
  • They are produced by plants during photosynthesis
  • Humans convert carbohydrates into glucose after eating
• Function of carbohydrates

  • They serve as storage and short term energy reserve
  • They provide structural support for cells and help with communication between cells
• Classification of carbohydrates

  • Monosaccharide (S)
  • Disaccharide
  • Oligosaccharide (C)
  • Polysaccharide
• Monosaccharides


  Constitute the building blocks of a more complex forms of sugar.
• Disaccharides


  Consists of two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic linkage. Sucrose lactose and maltose
• Oligosaccharides


  • Found in legumes beans cabbage brussels sprouts and broccoli
  • They are part of cellulose in cell walls.
  • Humans lack the enzymes necessary to digest them
• Polysaccharides


  They serve as storage and structural material. Deformed hundreds to thousands of monosaccharides are joined by glycosidic linkages