Question

What is the biological importance of carbohydrates?

Answer 1

Carbohydrates:

1. Carbohydrates are macronutrients.
2. They comprise carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen at their chemical level.

Biological importance of carbohydrates:

1. It serves as storage molecules, for example, glycogen in animals and starch in plants.
2. It is used as the main source of energy. For example, fiber is a carbohydrate that aids in digestion.
3. Carbohydrates associated with protein: Glycoproteins.
4. Carbohydrates associated with lipid: Glycolipids.
5. They form the constituents of nucleic acids.
6. Cell walls of plants and bacteria are composed of cellulose.