Courses
Courses for Kids
Free study material
Offline Centres
More
Store Icon
Store
seo-qna
SearchIcon
banner

What three elements do all carbohydrates contain?

Answer
VerifiedVerified
451.5k+ views
1 likes
like imagedislike image
Hint: Carbohydrate is a biomolecule that is one of the most essential macronutrients required by the human body. Glucose is one of the main carbohydrates present in our body and is the primary source of energy.

Complete answer:
Carbohydrates are composed of molecules of hydrogen, water, and oxygen. They are composed by the formula Cn(H2O)n where m and n denote the number of atoms and m can be equal to n. These three elements are arranged differently in different carbohydrate units to make types of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates can be both simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides. Monosaccharides are single units of carbohydrates. Sugars such as fructose, glucose, maltose, galactose, etc. are examples of monosaccharides. Disaccharides are two units of monosaccharides bonded together with a glycosidic bond. Sucrose is an example of a disaccharide of glucose and fructose as elements. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates of not more than 20 units of monomers bonded together with glycosidic bonds. Complex carbohydrates, also known as polysaccharides, are multiple units of monomers attached. The monomer units can be attached to form a chain or can be branched. Cellulose is an example of a polysaccharide.

Note:
Carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy. It acts as fuel to keep the body functioning smoothly. Various fruits and vegetables are a good source of carbohydrates. Fiber is a good source of carbohydrates that helps in the digestion and excretion of substances in the body. It also helps in keeping a check on the good and bad cholesterol of the body to prevent life-threatening diseases.