Carbohydrates

 Carbohydrates are the most abundant and most economical sources of energy.They are a class of chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen;and are found in monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide groups.Sugars, starch and glucose are carbohydrates, as also is cellulose, which forms the bulk of the undigested roughage in human food.While starch has no taste and is insoluble in water, glucose is the simplest form of carbohydrate and is the instant source of energy.The cooked starch gets easily and completely digested into glucose.As reserve carbohydrate, glucose is stored in the body-in greatest quantity in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen.Unlike starch grains, glycogén dissolves in water and is readily broken down by appropriate enzymes to yield glucose.Complete combustion of 1gm of carbohydrate (glucose in the b ody yields 4.2Kilocalories of energy.
Some meat-eating tribes are known to get itle or no carbohydrate in their dietand yet stay alive and healthy. Nevertheless from necessity most melare at least partial vegetarians and carbohydrateis the chief component of their diet.
 Carbohydrates are obtainable from wheat, maize,rice, bajra, potato, sweet potato, corn, tapioca banana, sugar, sugar cane, many ripe fruits etc. Candies, Indian sweets, chocolates etc, are alsorich in carbohydrates but too much of their consumption créates some acute problems of health.