Tag: Carbohydrate composition

Carbohydrates are the most abundant organic molecules in nature, and they are defined by their specific elemental composition. The three primary elements that make up carbohydrates, found in a simple 1:2:1 ratio, are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

While an apple is approximately 85% water, the remaining composition includes various types of carbohydrates. The simple answer to the question, "Is apple a polysaccharide?" is no; an apple is not a single chemical compound, but it does contain several types of polysaccharides, making it a rich source of complex carbohydrates alongside its natural sugars.

Over 500 food products contain fructooligosaccharides (FOS), highlighting their common use as a functional food ingredient. While known for their prebiotic benefits, fructooligosaccharides are fundamentally made of specific sugar units arranged in short chains, giving them their unique properties for promoting gut health.