Examples of Carbohydrates

A carbohydrate is an organic compound such as sugars, starches, celluloses and gums, that occurs in living tissues and food. It is important for nutrition since it can be broken down into energy by people or animals.

Carbohydrates are divided into four groups:

• Monosaccharides – These are simple carbohydrates, also called simple sugars, which are made of one sugar. They are broken down quickly by the body and are the building blocks for complex carbohydrates.
• Disaccharides – These are also simple carbohydrates that consist of two chemically-linked monosaccarides. They come in the form of lactose, maltose and sucrose.
• Oligosaccharides – These are complex carbohydrates that consist of three to ten sugars. They are rich in vitamins and minerals; and, because they are fiber-rich, they are slower to digest than a simple carbohydrate.
• Polysaccharides – These are also complex carbohydratges and are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber; but, they have larger numbers of sugars than an oligosaccharide.

Simple Carbohydrates

• Frucose
• Lactose
• Lactulose
• Maltose
• Maltulose
• Sucrose
• Galactose
• Glucose
• Arabinose
• Arabitol
• Allose
• Altrose
• Galactosamine hydrochloride
• Acetylgalactosamine
• Hammelose
• Lyxose
• Levoglucosenone
• Mannose
• Mannitol
• Mannosamine hydrochloride
• Acetylmannosamine
• Deoxy-L-ribose
• Ribose
• Rhamnose
• Threose
• Talose
• Xylose
• Galactose
• Galactose-6-O-sulfate sodium salt
• Acetyl-D-glucosamine-6-O-sulfate sodium salt
• Glucosamine-3-O-sulfate
• Glucosamine-2-N, 3-O-sulfate sodium salt
• Acetyl-D-galactosamine-4-O-sulfate sodium salt
• Galactosamine-2-N-sulfate sodium salt
• Mannose-6-O-sulfate sodium salt
• Acetobromo-D-xylose
• Phenylethyl-β-D-thiogalactoside
• Isopropyl-β-D-galactopyranoside
• Nitrophenyl-α-D-xylopyranoside
• Acetylneuraminic acid
• Arabino – 1,4-lactone
• Lyxono – 1,4-lactone
• Ribono – 1,4-lactone
• Threono – 1,4-lactone
• Methyl uronate
• GlcNAc L- asparagine
• Xylosylated L- serine
• Manosylated L- serine
• Galactosylated L- serine
• Galactosylated L- tyrosine

Foods with Simple Carbohydrates

• Baked goods (including bread) made with white flour
• Cake
• Candy
• Candy bar
• Carbonated drink
• Chocolate
• Cookie
• Corn syrup
• Fruit juice
• Fruit preserve or jam
• Fudge
• Honey
• Whole milk
• Plain, full fat yogurt
• Most packaged cereals
• Pasta made with white flour
• Table sugar

Complex Carbohydrates

• Cellobiose
• Isomaltose
• Kojibiose
• Nigerose
• Rutinose
• Rutinulose
• Trehalose
• Xylobiose

Oligosaccharides

• Fructo – oligosaccharides (FOS)
• Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
• Gentianose – a trisaccharide
• Inulin
• Maltotriose – a trisaccharide
• Mannan oligosaccharides (MOS)
• Raffinose – a trisaccharide

Polysaccharides

• Agar
• Amylopectin
• Amylose
• Arabinoxylan
• Beta-glucan
• Capsulan
• Carrageenan
• Cellulose
• Chitin
• Dextrin
• Fructan
• Glycogen
• Hemicellulose
• Methyl α -D-glucopyranoside
• Pectic acid
• Pectin
• Sinistrin
• Starch
• Sugammadex
• Xanthan gum
• Xyloglucan
• Zymosan
• 1,2:5,6 – Di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-glucofuranose
• 1,2:3,4 – Di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-galactopyranose
• 1,2,3,4 – Tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-xylopyranose
• Phenyl – α – D-glucopyranoside
• 1,2,4,5 – Di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-fructopyranose
• 2,3,4,5 – Di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-fructopyranose

Foods that Contain Complex Carbohydrates

• Apple
• Apricot
• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Banana
• Blackberry
• Black current
• Blueberry
• Broccoli
• Brown rice
• Brussels sprout
• Buckwheat
• Buckwheat bread
• Cabbage
• Carrot
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cherry
• Cranberry
• Cucumber
• Dill pickle
• Dried apricot
• Eggplant
• Garbanzo bean
• Grapefruit
• Kidney bean
• Kiwi
• Lemon
• Lentils
• Lettuce
• Low fat yogurt
• Lychee
• Melon
• Multi-grain bread
• Museli
• Navy bean
• Oat bran bread and cereal
• Oatmeal
• Okra
• Onions
• Orange
• Peach
• Pear
• Pinto bean
• Plum
• Potato
• Prune
• Radish
• Raspberry
• Skim or low fat milk
• Spinach
• Split pea
• Soybean
• Soy milk
• Strawberry
• Turnip green
• Wild rice
• Watercress
• Whole barley
• Whole meal bread
• Whole meal flour
• Whole meal pasta
• Yam
• Zucchini

Complex carbohydrates are more nutritious than simple carbohydrates. Knowing type type of carbohydrate and the foods that contain that carbohydrate can improve your energy levels and your nutrition.