p-Lacto-N-hexaose, 1 mg

Carbohydrates or Saccharides make up 50 % of the dry biomass of the earth and are therefore the most frequent class of biomolecules. Besides at least two hydroxy groups, they also have an aldehyde or a ketone group and can be subdivided according to the number of monomeric components in mono-, di-, oligo and polysaccharides.

Whereas mono-, di- and oligosaccharides are soluble in water, taste sweet and are therefore called as sugar, polysaccharides are hardly, or not at all, soluble in water and have a neutral taste.

Carbohydrates, together with fats and proteins make up a large percentage of nutrition. In addition to their central role as an energy source, they are also an important structural component especially in plants (e.g. Cellulose). Ribose, a monosaccaride with five carbons (C₅H₁₀O₅) is an essential element of coenzymes (such as ATP, FAD and NAD) and a structural component of RNA. Desoxyribose (a ribose derivative) is a structural component of DNA.

Oligo- and polysaccharides

Oligosaccharides consist of three to nine monosaccharide units.

Polysaccharides are macromolecular substances that consist of ≥10 monosaccharide units. A distinction is made between homoglycans, which are made up of only one type of monosaccharides (e.g. starch) and heteroglycans, which consist of at least two different monomeric components (e.g. xanthan).