List of sugars
== List of Sugars ==
Sugars are a type of carbohydrate that are sweet-tasting and soluble in water. They are found naturally in many foods and are also added to foods for sweetness and preservation. Sugars are classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides based on the number of sugar units they contain.
Monosaccharides[edit]
Monosaccharides are the simplest form of sugars and cannot be hydrolyzed into simpler sugars. They are the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates.
- Glucose - Also known as dextrose, it is a primary source of energy for cells.
- Fructose - Found in many plants, it is the sweetest of the naturally occurring sugars.
- Galactose - A component of lactose, it is less sweet than glucose and fructose.
Disaccharides[edit]
Disaccharides consist of two monosaccharide molecules bonded together. They are broken down into their monosaccharide components during digestion.
- Sucrose - Commonly known as table sugar, it is composed of glucose and fructose.
- Lactose - Found in milk, it is composed of glucose and galactose.
- Maltose - Known as malt sugar, it is composed of two glucose molecules.
Polysaccharides[edit]
Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharide units. They are often used for energy storage or structural purposes in organisms.
- Starch - A storage form of glucose in plants.
- Glycogen - A storage form of glucose in animals.
- Cellulose - A structural component of plant cell walls.
Related Pages[edit]
- Carbohydrate
- Monosaccharide
- Disaccharide
- Polysaccharide
- Glucose
- Fructose
- Galactose
- Sucrose
- Lactose
- Maltose
- Starch
- Glycogen
- Cellulose
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