Types of Carbohydrate
Sugars - the simplest form of carbohydrate and the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates, sugars are single or double units known as saccharides. Monosaccharides, such as glucose, fructose and galactose are single unit sugars, while disaccharides, such as sucrose (two glucose molecules) and lactose (glucose and galactose) are made up of two monosaccharides, joined together.
Oligosaccharides - these molecules are made up of short chains of monosaccharides (about 3-20). They often pass through the small intestine into the colon, where they are digested by the so-called ‘friendly bacteria’, helping them to survive and multiply in the gut. For this reason, some oligosaccharides, e.g. FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) are known as prebiotics. As oligosaccharides taste slightly sweet but are not absorbed, they are used as bulking agents in low calorie granulated sweeteners.
Polysaccharides – these large molecules are made up of many hundreds of monosaccharides, joined with different bonds creating unique structures. Glycogen is a storage carbohydrate composed of many glucose molecules and housed in the muscle and liver as an energy store, to be broken down when energy supplies are required. Starch is the plant equivalent of glycogen, acting as an energy store.
Dietary fibre - this is the indigestible part of carbohydrates, consisting of non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) and other molecules such as oligosaccharides, inulin and pectin. These molecules reach the colon relatively unchanged. Soluble forms of fibre may be used by the microflora in the colon for energy, helping to maintain adequate levels of ‘friendly bacteria’. These bacteria, when digesting the soluble fibre, produce by-products such as short chain fatty acids, which are known to have considerable health benefits. The insoluble fibre acts to absorb water and produce healthy bowel movements by creating large, soft stools that pass through the system more rapidly.
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