Carbohydrates in foods

Carbohydrates are an important fraction in most foods and are a major sources of energy. In this section you will refresh your knowledge on the structure and function of carbohydrates and fibre.

Dietary carbohydrates are a diverse group of substances with various chemical, physical and physiological properties. They are made of carbon (C), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) in the proportions given by the formula C n(H 2 O)n. That’s why they are called carbohydrates (C = carbon; H 2 O = water or hydrate). The classification of carbohydrates is based on molecular size, degree of polymerization and type of linkage and character of individual monomers.