Saccharose

From WikiMD's Food, Medicine & Wellness Encyclopedia

Saccharose is a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose. It is commonly known as sugar, table sugar, or cane sugar, but its scientific name is saccharose. Saccharose is a non-reducing sugar that does not have a free aldehyde or ketone group to reduce copper(II) ions to copper(I) ions.

Chemical Structure[edit | edit source]

Saccharose is a disaccharide, which means it is made up of two monosaccharides, glucose and fructose. These two monosaccharides are linked together by a glycosidic bond between the anomeric carbon of glucose (C1) and the anomeric carbon of fructose (C2). This bond is formed through a dehydration reaction, where a molecule of water is removed.

Physical Properties[edit | edit source]

Saccharose is a white, crystalline solid at room temperature. It is highly soluble in water and has a sweet taste. The melting point of saccharose is approximately 186 degrees Celsius.

Biological Role[edit | edit source]

In nature, saccharose is found in many plants, especially in the sap of certain trees and in the nectar of flowers. It serves as a major source of energy for these plants. In the human body, saccharose is broken down into glucose and fructose by the enzyme sucrase during digestion.

Health Effects[edit | edit source]

Excessive consumption of saccharose can lead to a number of health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. It is also a major contributor to tooth decay.

See Also[edit | edit source]

Saccharose Resources
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