Carbohydrates

Give examples of the macromolecule.

Examples of whole carbs include vegetables, whole fruit, legumes, potatoes and whole grains. These foods are generally healthy. On the other hand, refined carbs include sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, pastries, white bread, white pasta, white rice and others.

What food sources does this macromolecule come from?

Most carbohydrates come from foods of plant origin. The major simple carbohydrates or sugars are glucose, maltose, fructose, and sucrose which come from plants. Lactose is found in milk. We generally think of grains (Bread & Cereal group) as the only source of carbohydrates.

What is the name of the monomer of this macromolecule.

monosaccharides

What elements are present in the macromolecule? (What smaller subunits is it composed of?)

All carbohydrates, including sugar, therefore contain the same three elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Different arrangements of these elements form single units to make different types of carbohydrates. Glucose, for instance, is a single-unit carb with six carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms and six oxygen atoms.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrate is a fancy way of saying "sugar." Scientists came up with the name because the molecule have many carbon (C) atoms bonded to hydroxide (OH-) groups. Carbohydrates can be very small or very large molecules, but they are still considered sugars. Plants can create long chains of these molecules for food storage or structural reasons.

What function(s) does this macromolecule have in the human body?

Carbohydrates are essential for two distinct functions in your body -- energy and digestion. Most types of carbohydrates, such as starch and sugar, break down into glucose, which is the simplest form of carbohydrate and your body's primary source of energy.