What Is a Carbohydrate Polymer?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 10, 2020

A carbohydrate polymer is a string of sugar molecules linked together. It is also known as a polysaccharide. The principal sugars, glucose and fructose, are known by their single ring structure and are called monosaccharides.

Glucose and fructose are the simplest CHO (carbohydrate) molecules. Glucose supplies energy to all living cells, both animal and plant. Its creation begins in plants through photosynthesis. Large carbohydrate molecules form the structure of plants and animals. Fructose can be found in corn syrup and fruit.

Elaborate carbohydrate polymers, made from 12 basic sugars, constitute the cell walls of plants. Cellulose, the main structural carbohydrate, is a polymer of glucose units linked together, forming a tough fiber.