3 Types Of Carbohydrates And Examples

Mark Velov Author: Mark Velov Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: February 14, 2026
3 Types Of Carbohydrates And Examples

Learn more information about 3 types of carbohydrates and examples. In this article we'll discuss 3 types of carbohydrates and examples.

Glucose, galactose, and fructose are common monosaccharides, whereas common disaccharides include lactose, maltose, and sucrose. Starch and glycogen, examples of polysaccharides, are the storage forms of glucose in plants and animals, respectively.

There are two major types of carbohydrates (or carbs) in foods: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates: These are also called simple sugars. They're found in refined sugars, like the white sugar you see in a sugar bowl. If you have a lollipop, you're eating simple carbs.

A carbohydrate is an organic compound such as sugars, starches, celluloses and gums, that occurs in living tissues and food. It is important for nutrition since it can be broken down into energy by people or animals.

They are normally broken down into five major classifications of carbohydrates:
  • Monosaccharides.
  • Disaccharides.
  • Oligosaccharides.
  • Polysaccharides.
  • Nucleotides.

A carbohydrate is an organic compound such as sugars, starches, celluloses and gums, that occurs in living tissues and food. It is important for nutrition since it can be broken down into energy by people or animals.

The healthiest sources of carbohydrates—unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans—promote good health by delivering vitamins, minerals, fiber, and a host of important phytonutrients.

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