Carbohydrates
By: Nick Hall
What Are Carbohydrates
Any one of various substances found in certain foods (such as bread, rice, and potatoes) that provide your body with heat and energy and are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
Facts About Carbs
- Carbs are present in every plant or animal cell
- Plants manufacture simple carbs from carbon dioxide and water by photosynthesis
- Carbohydrates should account for 45% - 65% of the calories in your diet, which is roughly 225 g – 325 g of carbohydrates for someone on a 2000-calories diet.
Types of carbohydrates
- Monosaccarides- A simple sugar, such as glucose or fructose, that does not hydrolyse to yield other sugars
- Disaccharides- Any of a class of sugars, such as maltose, lactose, and sucrose, having two linked monosaccharide units per molecule
- Polysaccharides- Any of a class of carbohydrates, such as starch and cellulose, consisting of a number of monosaccharides joined by glycosidic bonds.
What do living things use these molecules for?
- Plants use the energy of sunlight to combine water from the soil and carbon dioxide from the air to make a simple form of sugar called glucose, which is a carb.
- Carbs are found in grains, fruits, and vegetables.
how do carbs relate to my life?
- I eat and digest foods containing carbs on a day to day basis.
- When I am eating food, I look at the nutrition facts to see the carb content.