Carbohydrates is a chemical nutrients needed for the requirement of energy in the body. carbohydrates as the name denote comprises of carbon, oxygen and oxygen.
carbohydrates is broadly divided into three groups;
- MONOSACCHARIDE
Monosaccharide is a branch of carbohydrates comprising of one mole of sugar as the name denote "mono" which means one. an example of this nutrient include fructose, glucose and galactose.
-DISSACHARIDE
Dissacharide is also a branch of carbohydrates as the name denotes "di" which means two. an example of this class of nutrients include sucrose, maltose and lactose.
-POLYSACCHARIDE
polysaccharide is another class of carbohydrate, which constitute of many monomers or unit of sugar, binded by a linkage bond. an example includes starch, cellucose, gum etc..
USE OF CARBOHYDRATES
-Carbohydrates helps to aid digestion in the human bowel system
-carbohydrates serves as a source of energy in the body required for day to day activities
-carbohydrates serves as a sweetner to food.
Sources where carbohydrates can be derived from includes ; Rice, sugar cane, sorghum, cereals etc.
ABSORPTION OF CARBOHYDRATE IN THE BODY
Carbohydrates ingested into the mouth is being broken down into maltose by an enzymes amylase, afterwards the food broken down is then been transported into the upper part of the small intestine called duodenum where it further undergo conversion by the same enzymes amylase, and lastly to sugar at the lower part of the small intestine called ileum by an enzymes invertase which is been absorbed into the body through the villa, hence energy is supplied into the body.