Question

Carbohydrates are stored in the form of starch in plants and glycogen in animals.Give reasons

Answer 1

• Carbohydrates are typically stored as glucose molecules with glycosidic bonds for structural support in plants (e.g. chitin, cellulose) or for energy storage in animals (e.g. glycogen, starch).
• All animals, including humans, store glucose in the form of glycogen. Any glucose in excess of the needs for energy and storage as glycogen is converted to fat. Glycogen consists of a chain of glucose units with many branches, which can be broken down quickly.
• Glycogen is being stored in the liver and in muscle tissue. During exercise, muscle cells break down glycogen into glucose. Glycogen is an ideal storage form of carbohydrate in the body.
• Though animals store glycogen in their muscles, animal products are not good food sources of carbohydrate because glycogen stores quickly degrade after the animal dies.
• Cellulose is a fiber and it is a complex carbohydrate in plants. It cannot be digested by humans.