Classification of Carbohydrates
Based on their structures, carbohydrates are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
- Monosaccharides –Simple sugars with a free ketone or aldehyde group are known as monosaccharides. They can’t be hydrolyzed anymore because they’re the simplest of sugars. CnH2nOn or Cn (H2O) n is their chemical formula. Depending on their ketone or aldehyde group, monosaccharides are categorised as tiroses, tertroses, pentoses, and so on, as well as ketoses or aldoses. Glucose, fructose, galactose, glycerose, ribose, and ribulose are among examples.
- Disaccharides – Disaccharides hydrolyze into two molecules of the same or distinct monosaccharides. The oxide bond, which is generated by the loss of a water molecule, connects the two monosaccharide units, and this linkage is known as glycosidic linkage. Sucrose is a typical disaccharide that breaks down into glucose and fructose when hydrolyzed. The other two main disaccharides are maltose and lactose (commonly known as milk sugar). There are two α-D-glucose in maltose and two β-D-glucose in lactose that are joined by an oxide bond.
- Oligosaccharides – When sugars are hydrolyzed, they break down into two to ten molecules of monosaccharides. A disaccharide is an oligosaccharide that breaks down into two monosaccharide molecules upon hydrolysis, whereas trisaccharides, tetrasaccharides, and so on are oligosaccharides that break down into three or four monosaccharide molecules. Disaccharides have the chemical formula Cn (H2O)n-1, whereas trisaccharides and others have the chemical formula Cn (H2O)n-2, and so on. Sucrose, maltose, lactose, raffinose, and stachyose are examples of oligosaccharides.
- Polysaccharides – Long monosaccharide molecules are linked together by a glycosidic linkage to form polysaccharides. The majority of them, such as Starch, serve as food storage. Plants use starch as their primary storage polysaccharide. It is a glucose polymer made up of two components: Amylose and Amylopectin. Cellulose is one of the most common polysaccharides found in plants. It is made up of β-D-glucose units linked together by a glycosidic bond between C1 of one glucose unit and C4 of the next.
- Starch- Starch is a carbohydrate that plants store as an energy source. Amylose and amylopectin are two forms of polymeric chains found in them. Amylopectin has a branching structure with α1–4 and α1–6 glycosidic linkages, whereas amylose has a linear structure with α1–4 glycosidic links.
Carbohydrates – Definition, Classification, Sources, Importance
Carbohydrates – A biomolecule, sometimes known as a biological molecule, is a word that refers to molecules found in living things that are required for one or more biological processes, such as cell division, morphogenesis, or development. Large macromolecules (or polyanions) like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids, as well as tiny molecules like primary metabolites, secondary metabolites, and natural products, are all examples of biomolecules.
Biomolecules are essential components of living creatures. While endogenous biomolecules are created within the organism, organisms often require external biomolecules, such as specific nutrients, to exist.
In this article, we will learn in detail about carbohydrates, its classification, sources, and its importance.
Table of Content
- What are Carbohydrates?
- Classification of Carbohydrates
- Functions of Carbohydrates
- Sources of Carbohydrates
- Carbohydrate Foods
- Importance of Carbohydrates
- Importance of Carbohydrates in Human Body
- Importance of Carbohydrates in all Living Organisms
- Importance of Carbohydrates in Our Diet
- Importance of Carbohydrates for Athletes