Carbohydrates, also known as carbohydrates or sugars, are organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
1. What are they?
Carbohydrates, also known as carbohydrates or sugars, are organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and then we’ll see oxygen. A their classification on the basis of chemical structure.
1.1. Monosaccharides
They are the simplest carbohydrates. This group includes glucose, fructose and galactose.
- Glucose: Found in small quantities in fruits and vegetables, being relatively abundant in grapes. It is the most important monosaccharide in the field of nutrition to be the main fuel cell.
Most carbohydrate foods eventually converted into glucose after digestion. Glucose is added to some foods and beverages comes from the decomposition of starch. Glucose increases the energy content of food without increasing their sweetness, contrary to what I would do fructose or sucrose.
- Fructose: It is abundant in some plant foods, especially fruits. Carbohydrate is the sweetest. Glucose and fructose are the two main monosaccharides of honey.
- Galactose: Part of the lactose in milk with glucose.
1.2. Oligosaccharides
They consist of short chains of monosaccharides. In oligosaccharides, the most important are the disaccharides formed by two molecules of monosaccharides, usually using sucrose, lactose and maltose.
- Sucrose: is sugar cane and beet. It is the common sugar we use at home and used in the preparation of pastries, cakes and soft drinks as a sweetener. It is composed of one molecule of glucose and fructose.
- Lactose: is found only in milk and dairy products. It is composed of one molecule of glucose and galactose.
- Maltose: also called malt sugar, is obtained by hydrolysis of starch and consists of two molecules of glucose.
Monosaccharides and disaccharides are also called simple sugars, for its sweet taste and the size of the molecule. Among the oligosaccharides also remain including limit dextrin or maltodextrin, which produced industrially from starch, are used in infant formula and enteral.
Tags: Carbohydrates, Carbohydrates function, Carbohydrates introduction, Fructose, Glucose, Lactose, Monosaccharides, Oligosaccharides, Sucrose, what are the Carbohydrates?
