category: nutrition science

Polysaccharides, Glycans, de.: Polysaccharide, Mehrfachzucker, Vielfachzucker

Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates that can consist of up to 500 monosaccharide molecules. In contrast to monosaccharides and disaccharides, polysaccharides are not water-soluble. They are too big to be absorbed by the human body and have to be broken down to their components. Only then can those soluble monosaccharides enter the bloodstream and are transported to the organs and muscles. Digesting time of polysaccharides is very long, which ensures a continuing supply with sugar. Since this energy supply is steady as opposed to monosaccharides that enter the bloodstream immediately, there are no fast fluctuations of the blood sugar level and ravenousness occurs less.

A well known polysaccharide is starch, which only occurs in plants. It is stored as an energy reserve in tubers and beets. When starch is heated without water, it develops into dextrins. These taste moderately sweet and have a wonderful aroma, for example when preparing au gratin potatoes.