Are Carbohydrates Soluble in Water?

By Staff WriterLast Updated April 12, 2020

Carbohydrates are soluble in water. All carbohydrates are considered sugars. Sugars are soluble in water due to the vast number of hydroxyl groups they contain.

A hydroxyl group has the ability to form a hydrogen bond, which increases the water solubility factor of a compound, thus making carbohydrates water soluble. A carbohydrate is a molecular compound that is made from three different elements: carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates are also referred to as saccharides, which are sugars. Monosaccharides are single sugars and, when two link together, they form disaccharides, or double sugars.