SUGAR
Terminology
The term sugar is the generic term for any disaccharides and monosaccharides. Sugars
are an essential structural component of living cells and a source of energy in
many organisms. Sugars are classified based on the number of monomeric units
present. The term simple sugars denote to the monosaccharides. The term table
sugar or granulated sugar actually refers to sucrose, which is a disaccharide made of
two monosaccharides: glucose and fructose. Sucrose is the form of sugar that many
people are familiar with. It is used in food preparation, such as in cakes, pastries, and
desserts. It is also used as an ingredient in several beverages, such as sodas, coffee,
and juices.
Overview
Carbohydrates, especially polysaccharides, are one of the four major groups
of biomolecules. The others are proteins, amino acids, and nucleic acids. A
carbohydrate refers to any of the group of organic compounds consisting
of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually in the ratio of 1:2:1, hence the general
formula: Cn (H2O) n. Carbohydrates are the most abundant among the major classes
of biomolecules. They are one of the major nutrients, providing energy that shall fuel
various metabolic processes.
As a nutrient, carbohydrates may be classified based on their structural
complexity: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates, sometimes referred to as
simply sugar, are those that are readily digested and serve as a rapid source of
energy. Complex carbohydrates (such as cellulose, starch, and glycogen) are those that
need more time to be digested and metabolized. They often are high in fiber and unlike
simple carbohydrates they are less likely to cause spikes in blood sugar.
Characteristics of sugar
Sugars, just like the other carbohydrates, are organic compounds. An organic
compound is a compound that, in general, contains carbon covalently bound to other
atoms, especially Carbon-Carbon (C-C) and Carbon-Hydrogen (C-H). The four major
elements that make up sugars and other carbohydrates are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen,
and nitrogen. The general chemical formula of sugar is Cn (H2O) n (or Cn H2nOn),
where n may range from 3 to 7. The ratio of hydrogen atoms to oxygen atoms is often
2:1. (NB: An exception to this rule is deoxyribose.) Because of this chemical formula
rule, sugars and most carbohydrates are referred to as hydrates of carbon. Most sugars
have a name that typically ends in –ose. They may contain
either aldehyde or ketone groups.
The saccharide is the structural (monomeric) unit of carbohydrates. Monomers of
carbohydrates (i.e. monosaccharide) may join to form longer chains. The
monosaccharides are linked to each other (or to other non-carbohydrate group) by a
glycosidic bond (also called glycosidic linkage), a type of covalent bond.
Classification of sugars
Saccharide is the structural (monomeric) unit of carbohydrates and carbohydrates may
be classified into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides,
and polysaccharides based on the number of saccharide units.
The most fundamental type is the simple sugars called monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides include fructose, galactose, and glucose. Fructose is also called fruit
sugar. It naturally occurs in fruits, cane sugar, and honey. It is the sweetest among the
sugars. Galactose is another simple sugar but is seen often bound to another molecule.
Glucose is the most common form of simple sugar in the body as it is essential in
various cellular activities such as cell respiration. In plants, glucose is the primary
product of photosynthesis. These monosaccharides are the simplest forms of
carbohydrates. They serve as the monomers that join together to form a rather complex
carbohydrate, e.g. disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Disaccharides are carbohydrates consisting of two monosaccharides. Examples
are lactose, maltose, and sucrose. The table sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide
made up of glucose and fructose. It is used commonly as a sweetener. It is used in
beverages and food preparation, such as cake and cookies. The common sources of
sugar for commercial use are sugarcane and sugar beet. These plants are harvested to
make refined sugar.
