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Carbohydrate metabolism is the whole of the biochemical processes responsible for the metabolic formation, breakdown, and interconversion of carbohydrates in living organisms. Carbohydrates are central to many essential metabolic pathways . [ 1 ]
The term "carbohydrate" (or "carbohydrate by difference") refers also to dietary fiber, which is a carbohydrate, but, unlike sugars and starches, fibers are not hydrolyzed by human digestive enzymes. [5] Fiber generally contributes little food energy in humans, but is often included in the calculation of total food energy. The fermentation of ...
Two of the main functions of carbohydrates are energy storage and providing structure. One of the common sugars known as glucose is a carbohydrate, but not all carbohydrates are sugars. There are more carbohydrates on Earth than any other known type of biomolecule; they are used to store energy and genetic information , as well as play ...
The digestive system is supplied by the celiac artery. The celiac artery is the first major branch from the abdominal aorta, and is the only major artery that nourishes the digestive organs. There are three main divisions – the left gastric artery, the common hepatic artery and the splenic artery.
Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized by the body, and must be obtained from food. Molecules of carbohydrates and fats consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Carbohydrates range from simple monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose) to complex polysaccharides (starch, glycogen).
Carbohydrates are typically synthesized by plants during metabolism, and animals have to obtain most carbohydrates from nature, as they have only a limited ability to generate them. They include sugars, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Glucose is the simplest form of carbohydrate. [28]
Pie charts of typical human body composition by percent of mass, and by percent of atomic composition (atomic percent) Body composition may be analyzed in various ways. This can be done in terms of the chemical elements present, or by molecular structure e.g., water , protein , fats (or lipids ), hydroxyapatite (in bones), carbohydrates (such ...
Many carbohydrates contain modified monosaccharide units that have had functional groups replaced or removed. Polyphenols consist of a branched structure of multiple phenolic subunits. They can perform structural roles (e.g. lignin) as well as roles as secondary metabolites involved in signalling, pigmentation and defense.