1.9 Biochemically Important Monosaccharides

• • Most abundant in nature
  • Most important source of human nutrition
  • Also called as dextrose and blood sugar

  A) D-glucose

  
• • Milk sugar 
  • Synthesized in human beings 
  • Also called brain sugar
  • Used to differentiate blood types

  A) D-galactose

  
• • Ketohexose
  • Sweetest tasting of all sugars 
  • Found in many fruits and in honey 
  • Good dietary sugar due to higher sweetness

  A) D-fructose

  
• • Part of a variety of complex molecules which include:
  • RNA
  • ATP
  • DNA

  A) D-ribose

  
• The simplest of the monosaccharides, these two trioses are important intermediates in the process of glycolysis; a series of reactions whereby glucose is converted into two molecules of pyruvate.

  A) D-glyceraldehyde

  B) Dihydroxyacetone