Why are carbohydrates important for our bodies?
Monosaccharides play an important role in energy transfer.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.These snakes mean business.
-
© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Cheese comes from milk—but it's not that simple.
-
NASAPerhaps the most famous of all space films, these clips document the arrival of the first human beings on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
-
© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn why some foods taste sweet.
-
© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn about the chemical process the human body uses to digest carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
-
© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Learn how the heating elements of the cotton candy machine act upon the granulated sugar and convert it into cotton candy.
-
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, MainzLearn how elderberry jelly is made.
Transcript
Carbohydrates are an important part of our diets. But what are carbohydrates made of? And just why are they so important?
The fundamental building blocks of carbohydrates are monosaccharides. These small molecules are commonly called simple sugars.
Three of the most common monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose. Each of these sugars is made up of 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms.
Although they have the same chemical formula—C6H12O6—each of these sugars has a different structure. The arrangement of atoms in each molecule is different.
These three monosaccharides are found in many of the foods we eat every day. Fructose is the main sugar in fruit and honey. Galactose is found in milk as a part of the sugar lactose.
The most important monosaccharide for living things is glucose. It is the main source of chemical energy used for cell functions in all organisms, from bacteria to humans.
Plants and certain microorganisms can manufacture glucose through photosynthesis. Organisms like humans can’t produce their own glucose and must get it from food.
In the body, glucose is quickly absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream and transported to every cell in the body. In the cell, glucose is broken down through a process called cellular respiration. This process releases energy which is then used to power all of the activities of the cell and, in turn, the functions of life.
Three of the most common monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose. Each of these sugars is made up of 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms.
Although they have the same chemical formula—C6H12O6—each of these sugars has a different structure. The arrangement of atoms in each molecule is different.
These three monosaccharides are found in many of the foods we eat every day. Fructose is the main sugar in fruit and honey. Galactose is found in milk as a part of the sugar lactose.
The most important monosaccharide for living things is glucose. It is the main source of chemical energy used for cell functions in all organisms, from bacteria to humans.
Plants and certain microorganisms can manufacture glucose through photosynthesis. Organisms like humans can’t produce their own glucose and must get it from food.
In the body, glucose is quickly absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream and transported to every cell in the body. In the cell, glucose is broken down through a process called cellular respiration. This process releases energy which is then used to power all of the activities of the cell and, in turn, the functions of life.