Saccharides are the sugars or carbohydrates that are the essential components which serve as the main energy source, responsible for fueling many biochemical processes.
Saccharide molecules have a general formula as Cn(H2O)n. However, not all saccharides follow this formula, except simple sugars like glucose and fructose.
Saccharides are divided into 4 main groups based on the number of carbon atoms namely: Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Oligosaccharides, and Polysaccharides.
1. Monosaccharides: These are termed simple sugars and contain only one carbon atom. These types of saccharides experience no hydrolysis. Examples: Glucose, Fructose, Galactose.
2. Disaccharides: When two monosaccharide molecules join together by glycosidic bond, they are termed as disaccharides. The hydroxyl groups of the two saccharide molecules combine to produce glycosidic linkages. Examples: Lactose, Sucrose, Maltose.
3. Oligosaccharides: These types of saccharides are composed of more than 2 monosaccharide units. Examples: Raffinose. Repeating units of glucose, galactose, and fructose makeup raffinose.
4. Polysaccharides: These are complex carbohydrates containing hundreds of monosaccharide units. Polysaccharides are also termed as glycans. Just like disaccharides, monomeric units of polysaccharides are also linked together by glycosidic bonds—examples: Starch, Cellulose, and Glycogen.