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carbohydrate
(kahr″bo-hiŽdrāt)
a compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, the latter two usually in the proportions of water (CH2O)n. Carbohydrates in food are an important and immediate source of energy for the body; 1 g of carbohydrate yields 4 calories.
The chief food sources are the sugars and starches. Common sugars found in foods are the monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. Ripe fruits and many vegetables contain natural sugars, and starches are found in foods such as rice, wheat, and potatoes.
Carbohydrates may be stored in the body as glycogen for future use. If they are eaten in excessive amounts, however, the body changes them into fats and stores them in that
form.
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