Question

The principal sugar in human milk is ___________

• A. glucose
• B. lactose
• C. fructose
• D. sucrose

Answer 1

The correct option is B lactose

Breast milk contains complex proteins, lipids, carbohydrates and other biologically active components. The composition changes over the period of lactation.

Human milk contains 0.8-0.9% of proteins, 3%-4.5 % fat, 6.9%-7.2% carbohydrates and 0.2% minerals. The principal sugar (carbohydrate) of human milk is lactose.

Lactose is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose, with a molecular formula $C_{12}{H}_{22}{O}_{11}$.

Glucose is a simple sugar, it is a monosaccharide with the molecular formula $C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6$.

Fructose or fruit sugar is a monosaccharide. Fructose bonded with glucose forms sucrose, or table sugar. Sucrose is represented by the formula $C_{12}{H}_{22}{O}_{11}$.