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Simple vs Complex Carbohydrates definitions

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  • Monosaccharide
    Single sugar unit serving as a basic building block for larger carbohydrates and a primary energy source for cells.
  • Disaccharide
    Carbohydrate composed of two linked monosaccharides, providing quick energy and sweetness in the diet.
  • Polysaccharide
    Large carbohydrate made of many monosaccharides, functioning in energy storage or as structural components.
  • Glucose
    Primary energy source for most cells, found in fruits, honey, and starch-rich foods; essential for cellular respiration.
  • Fructose
    Sweetest natural sugar, commonly found in fruits and honey, often converted to glucose or fat in the liver.
  • Galactose
    Sugar present in dairy products, usually consumed as part of lactose and converted to glucose or fat in the liver.
  • Sucrose
    Common table sugar made of glucose and fructose, providing quick energy and significant sweetness.
  • Lactose
    Milk sugar composed of glucose and galactose, found in dairy products and essential for infant nutrition.
  • Maltose
    Sugar formed from two glucose units, present in beer and starchy foods, and produced during starch digestion.
  • Starch
    Plant-based polysaccharide storing glucose, providing slow-release energy; includes amylose and amylopectin forms.
  • Glycogen
    Highly branched polysaccharide storing glucose in animals, mainly in liver and muscle, enabling rapid energy release.
  • Fiber
    Nondigestible plant polysaccharide promoting digestive health; humans lack enzymes to break it down.
  • Amylose
    Linear form of starch, consisting of unbranched chains of glucose units found in plant energy storage.
  • Amylopectin
    Branched form of starch, allowing for more rapid glucose release compared to linear starch.
  • Cellular Respiration
    Process in which cells extract energy from glucose, supporting vital cellular activities.