CHO

Carbohydrates (CHO)

Most abundant biomolecules after water.

CHO in Plants

Serve structural and energy storage functions.

CHO in Animals

Primarily used as an energy source; stored energy plays a minor role.

Glycogen

Storage form of carbohydrates in animals.

Non-Ruminant CHO Source

Mainly starch.

Ruminant & Herbivore CHO Source

Utilize starch, cellulose, and other non-starch polysaccharides.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar units (e.g., glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose).

Disaccharides

Two sugar units (e.g., lactose, sucrose, maltose).

Oligosaccharides

3-10 sugar units (e.g., raffinose, stachyose, maltotriose, FOS, MOS, GOS).

Polysaccharides

More than 10 sugar units (e.g., starch, cellulose, pectin, hemicellulose).

Dextrose

Another name for glucose.

Dextrins

Polymers of glucose from starch hydrolysis.

Maltodextrin

A type of dextrin.

Dextran

Polymers of glucose with alpha 1-6 and alpha 1-3 linkages.

Levulose

Another name for fructose.

Invert Sugar

A mix of glucose and fructose from enzymatically treated sucrose.

Triose

3-carbon sugar (glyceraldehyde).

Tetrose

4-carbon sugar (erythrose).

Pentose

5-carbon sugar (ribose, xylose, arabinose).

Hexose

6-carbon sugar (glucose, fructose, galactose).

Aldehyde Sugars

Have an aldehyde group at carbon 1.

Ketone Sugars

Have a ketone group at carbon 2.

Maltose

Glucose + glucose (alpha 1-4 linkage).

Cellobiose

Glucose + glucose (beta 1-4 linkage).

Sucrose

Glucose + fructose (alpha 1-2 linkage).

Lactose

Galactose + glucose (beta 1-4 linkage).

Starch

Composed of amylose and amylopectin.

Amylose

Alpha 1-4 linked glucose, water-soluble.

Amylopectin

Alpha 1-4 and alpha 1-6 linked glucose, branched.

Glycogen

Animal storage carbohydrate similar to amylopectin.

Cellulose

Provides plant rigidity, not digestible by animals.

Glycemic Index (GI)

Measures the speed of carbohydrate digestion.

High GI Foods

Rapid digestion leading to insulin spikes, potential obesity risk.

Low GI Foods

Slow digestion, includes most fruits and vegetables.

Resistant Starch (RS)

Starch that escapes digestion in the small intestine.

SCFA Production

Short-chain fatty acids that improve gut health and energy balance.

Prebiotics

Non-digestible food ingredients that promote beneficial gut bacteria.

Probiotics

Live microorganisms that are beneficial for gut health.

Anti-Nutritional Oligosaccharides

Substances that reduce digestibility, e.g., raffinose, stachyose.

Homopolysaccharides

Single sugar type, e.g., starch, cellulose.

Heteropolysaccharides

Multiple sugar types, e.g., hemicellulose, pectin.

Soluble Fiber

Dissolves in water and slows digestion.

Insoluble Fiber

Does not dissolve in water and speeds up digestion.

Aldose Sugars

Monosaccharides with an aldehyde group; examples include d-glycerose, d-xylose, d-arabinose, d-ribose, d-galactose, d-mannose, and d-glucose.

Ketose Sugars

Monosaccharides with a ketone group; examples include dihydroxyacetone, d-xylulose, d-ribulose, d-fructose, and d-sedoheptulose.