Carbohydrates

Friday, February 20, 2009

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for most populations throughout the world. Plant foods supply most of the carbohydrates eaten by adults since most foods of animal origin contain negligible amounts. The exception tothis is lactose, or milk sugar, an important energy source for babies but less important in the adult diet. Dietary carbohydrates range from simple sugars to complex molecules such as starches or non-starch polysaccharides, and are classified according to the number and configuration of the single sugar units (monosaccharides) joined together. Simple sugars – the monosaccharides and disaccharides – are sweet, and foods containing these are often seen as particularly palatable because of this.