Introduction to Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the four major classes of biologically essential organic molecules in living organisms. They are the most abundant class of biomolecules in nature based on their mass. And they make up most of the organic bodies on earth due to their extensive role in every life form. Carbohydrates are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones or substances that result in such compounds upon hydrolysis. These macromolecules are composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O). They are also referred to as saccharides (sakcharon = sugar or sweetness) since most of them have a sweet taste. Apart from that, carbohydrate serves as a primary energy source, a structural framework for nucleotides, and provides structural support to organisms. They also play a crucial role as mediators in cellular interaction. Carbohydrates are classified into monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates, and a few monosaccharides hydrolyse to form oligosaccharide, and many monosaccharides together form polysaccharides. They also act as a precursor for glycoproteins and glycolipids. In this section, we are discussing some basic concepts about carbohydrates.