Definition of Monosaccharides

Monosaccharide is formed from the Greek word mono meaning one and saccharin meaning sugar. Monosaccharide means a single sugar. Carbohydrates that do not yield any other simple carbohydrate units when broken down or analyzed are called monosaccharides. Their common symbol is CnH2nOn. Monosaccharides have 3-10 carbons. Monosaccharides have a free aldehyde group (-CHO) at carbon 1 or a ketone group (>C=O) at carbon 2, so they are called reducing sugars or reducing sugars. Monosaccharides with aldehyde groups are called aldoses and monosaccharides with ketone groups are called ketoses. Aldehyde and ketone groups are reducing groups and sugars containing reducing groups are called reducing sugars.

Carbohydrates : Classification based on oxidation potential

Carbohydrates are divided into two categories based on their oxidative capacity. These are-
(i) Reducing or reducing sugars: Those carbohydrates which have aldehyde and ketone radicals in free form and react with Fehling’s reagent, Benedict’s reagent and Burford’s reagent are called reducing or reducing carbohydrates. All monosaccharides are monosaccharides. Because the aldehyde group (-CHO) or ketone group (-CO) of monosaccharides are free. For example, glucose, fructose, galactose, glyceraldehyde, ribose, xylose etc.
(ii) Non-reducing or non-reducing sugars: Those carbohydrates which do not have aldehyde and ketone radicals in free form and do not react with Fehling’s reagent, Benedict’s reagent and Burford’s reagent are called non-reducing or non-reducing carbohydrates. Eg Sucrose, Starch, Cellulose, Glycogen, Trehalose etc. Dr. Siddiq Publications

Carbohydrates : Classification based on taste

Carbohydrates are divided into two categories based on taste. These are-
(i) Sugar: Carbohydrates that are sweet, granular and soluble in water are called sugars. Such as glucose, fructose, sucrose etc.
(ii) Non-sugar: Carbohydrates which are not sweet, granular and insoluble in water are called non-sugars. Such as starch, cellulose, glycogen etc.

Chemical characteristics of carbohydrates

1. Carbohydrates are made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
2. It contains more hydroxyl group (-OH).
3. They combine with acids to form esters.
4. Moist analysis of this yields aldehydes and ketones.
5. Carbohydrates must contain hydroxyl and carbonyl groups.
6. Carbohydrates are attached to lipids to form glycolipids and proteins to form glycoproteins.
7. It stores short term energy.
8. Cellulose is the structural component of plant cell walls and chitin is the cell wall of fungi.

Physical characteristics of carbohydrates

1. Carbohydrates are granular, fibrous and powdery solids.
2. It is sweet or tasteless.
3. It is insoluble in water, but monosaccharides are soluble in water.
4. Its molecular weight ranges from 10,000 to several hundred thousand daltons.
5. They turn into carbon or embers on high heat.
6. It is light active and light tolerant.

Source of carbohydrates

The main source of carbohydrates is plants. Most plant bodies contain 50-80% of their dry weight as carbohydrates. Major carbohydrate producing plants are – rice, wheat, sugarcane, bhutra, barley, cow, sugar, beet, carrot, date, grape, apple, mango, banana etc. Roots, stems, leaves, fruits and seeds of plants contain carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are found in guava, apple, onion, mango, pineapple, lichen, moss etc. Animal liver, muscle and milk contain carbohydrates.

Definition of Carbohydrates

All the organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in which the ratio of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen is 1:2:1 are called carbohydrates or sugars. There are also many compounds that do not have a 1:2:1 ratio, including carbohydrates. According to the modern definition, all aldehyde and ketone compounds containing hydroxyl groups are called carbohydrates. Or, polyhydroxy aldehydes, polyhydroxyketones and their derivatives are collectively called carbohydrates.