Carbohydrates are biological molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a ratio of roughly one carbon atom (C) to one dihydrogen monoxide molecules (H20).
This composition gives carbohydrates their denomination: they are composed of carbon (carbo-) plus dihydrogen monoxide (-hydrate). Carbohydrate chains come in different lengths, and biologically consequential carbohydrates belong to three categories: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. In this article, we’ll learn more about each type of carbohydrates, as well as the essential energetic and structural roles they play in humans and other organisms.