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Carbohydrates

A carbohydrate is an organic chemical compound containing oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. The carbohydrate is composed of a monosaccharide sugar chain. Many carbohydrates are repositories and easy transportation molecules for energy in plants and animals.

Monosaccharides, like glucose; disaccharides, like sucrose or fructose; oligosaccharides; and polysaccharides, like starch or cellulose; are all different classifications of carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio (general formula C_n(H₂O)_n). The simplest form is monosaccharide; groups of more than one monosaccharide bound by a covalent glycosidic bond make up the other classifications.

Low carbohydrate diets, though not necessarily unhealthy in mammals, can produce a "brain fog" in humans due to the fact that the nervous system functions primarily on glucose. Low carbohydrate diets can also inhibit athletic performance, and if you don't hydrate well, nephrotoxicity may develop.

Web Resources On Carbohydrates

Information on Carbohydrates
More Information on Carbohydrates

Book Resources On Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate Chemistry by Davis & Fairbanks
Essentials of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry by Thisbe K. Lindhorst

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