Importance of

Carbohydrates
CARBOHYDRATES
- are biomolecules consisting
of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, and
one of the three main classes of foods and a source of
energy.

- come in simple forms such as sugars and in complex

forms such as starches and fiber. The body breaks
down most sugars and starches into glucose, a simple
sugar that the body can use to feed its cells.
 Importance in the
BIOSPHERE
Source: britannica.com/science/carbohydrate/Biological-significance
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
- The essential process in the biosphere, the portion of
Earth in which life can occur, that has permitted
the evolution of life as it now exists is the conversion by
green plants of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into
carbohydrates, using light energy from the Sun.

- This process, called photosynthesis, results in both the

release of oxygen gas into the atmosphere and the
transformation of light energy into the chemical energy of
carbohydrates.
- During photosynthesis, an immediate phosphorous-
containing product known as 3-phosphoglyceric acid is
formed.

This compound then is transformed into cell

wall components such as cellulose, varying
amounts of sucrose, and starch—depending
on the plant type—and a wide variety of
polysaccharides, other than cellulose
and starch, that function as essential
structural components.
* 3-Phosphoglyceric acid or 3PG is the conjugate acid
of glycerate 3-phosphate (GP).
Importance in
HUMAN
NUTRITION
The total caloric, or energy, requirement for an
individual depends on age, occupation, and
other factors but generally ranges between
2,000 to 4,000 calories per day.

These are important to give our body and brain

energy to function throughout the day. If
consumed calories are low, we cannot function
as efficiently and may lead to low blood sugar,
dizziness, or tiredness.
 Importance in
ENERGY STORAGE
Carbohydrates are typically stored as
long polymers of glucose molecules with
glycosidic bonds for structural support
(e.g. chitin, cellulose) or for energy
storage (e.g. glycogen, starch).
Starches, the major plant-energy-reserve
polysaccharides used by humans, are stored in
plants in the form of nearly spherical granules
that vary in diameter from about three to 100
micrometres (about 0.0001 to 0.004 inch).

Most plant starches consist of a mixture of two

components: amylose and amylopectin. The
glucose molecules composing amylose have a
straight-chain, or linear, structure. Amylopectin
has a branched-chain structure and is a
somewhat more compact molecule.
 Importance in
PLANT & ANIMAL
STRUCTURES
Source: britannica.com/science/carbohydrate/Biological-significance
IN PLANTS
Whereas starches and glycogen represent
the major reserve polysaccharides of living
things, most of the carbohydrate found in
nature occurs as structural components in
the cell walls of plants.

Carbohydrates in plant cell walls generally

consist of several distinct layers, one of
which contains a higher concentration of
cellulose than the others.
IN ANIMALS
Polysaccharides also function as major
structural components in animals. Chitin,
which is similar to cellulose, is found in
insects and other arthropods. Other
complex polysaccharides predominate in
the structural tissues of higher animals.