List the three most common types of polysaccharides in nutrition, and describe each one in terms of its function and monosaccharide composition

Answer 1

The three major polysaccharides are glycogen, starches, and dietary fibers. Glycogen is found in the muscle and liver of animals, while starch and fibers are both plant-based polysaccharides. Glycogen, which serves as the glucose storage for animals, is comprised entirely of glucose molecules attached together in a highly branched structure. Starches are how plants store their excess glucose, and therefore are also comprised entirely of glucose molecules; however, the glucose molecules are linked together in long branched and unbranched chains. Fibers, which comprise the structural parts of plants, are mostly polysaccharides, though it can be comprised of other chemicals and different monosaccharides. However, these fibers cannot be broken down into monosaccharides by enzymes in the digestive tract due to differences in the type of bonds that hold the monosaccharides together. These types of polysaccharides cannot contribute energy to the body, as they pass through undigested.?