Carbohydrate

A carbohydrate is an organic compound with general formula C''m''(H2O)''n'', that is, consisting only of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, the last two in the 2:1 atom ratio. Carbohydrates can be viewed as hydrates of carbon, hence their name.

What are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are one of the most important food groups in the diet. They provide essential elements that the body needs for instant energy production and various vital functions.

Carbohydrate Structure

Carbohydrate Monosaccharides

Carbohydrate Metabolism

Foods High in Carbohydrates

Latest Carbohydrate News and Research

Changes in surface sugarlike molecules help cancer cells to spread

Changes in a specific type of sugarlike molecule, or glycan, on the surface of cancer cells help them to spread into other tissues, according to researchers at the University of California, Davis. Published March 23 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the work could lead to diagnostic tests and new therapies to slow or stop the spread of cancers.

25 Mar 2020

New type of artificial binding proteins for blocking sugar structures on cell surfaces

The laboratory directed by Arne Skerra, Professor of Biological Chemistry, has its focus on designing artificial binding proteins for therapeutic applications.

17 Mar 2020

Research introduces a new concept of resectability in pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is predicted to become the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths by 2030. However, recent developments in staging and treatment provide options to improve the long-term survival rate for an otherwise devastating diagnosis.

10 Mar 2020

How effective is Gabapentin in alcohol use disorder?

A new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine in March 2020 reports the striking efficacy of the drug gabapentin in helping people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) with their alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

9 Mar 2020

'Primitive' stem cells shown to replace and repair damaged blood vessels in the retina

Johns Hopkins Medicine scientists say they have successfully turned back the biological hands of time, coaxing adult human cells in the laboratory to revert to a primitive state, and unlocking their potential to replace and repair damage to blood vessels in the retina caused by diabetes.

9 Mar 2020

Yale study may help reconcile conflicting findings about low-calorie sweeteners

Several studies in recent years have reported that low-calorie sweeteners in foods and beverages disrupt the human metabolism, promoting the development of diabetes and obesity.

3 Mar 2020

New artificial pancreas may provide life-changing support to diabetic people

For the 250,000 Canadians living with type 1 diabetes, the days of desperately trying to keep their blood sugar stable are coming to an end.

28 Feb 2020

Healthy diet, healthier sperm, greater fertility

A new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open in February 2020 reports that Danish men who followed a healthy diet had the highest total sperm counts, and a better hormonal profile concerning hormonal regulators of fertility, compared to those on a Western or other less healthy types of diet.

23 Feb 2020

Daily intake of non-fried potato linked to better diet quality compared to refined grains

Potatoes are often equated with refined grains due to their carbohydrate content. Yet, potatoes contain fiber, resistant starch, and key micronutrients that Americans need more of in their diet.

14 Feb 2020

Oligosaccharide 2'FL in breast milk enhances cognitive development in babies

Maternal factors, such as breast milk, have been shown to affect a baby's development, and previous animal studies have determined that a carbohydrate, the oligosaccharide 2'FL found in maternal milk, positively influences neurodevelopment.

12 Feb 2020

Diets high in fat and protein exacerbate C. diff infections in mice

Popular diets low in carbs and high in fat and protein might be good for the waistline, but a new UNLV study shows that just the opposite may help to alleviate the hospital-acquired infection Clostridioides difficile.

12 Feb 2020

High-fat, high-protein meals may appeal to Clostridioides difficile bacteria

Diets like the Keto, Paleo and Atkins focus on high-fat, high-protein meals that are often low in carbohydrates. This mix may appeal to Clostridioides difficile bacteria, too.

11 Feb 2020

No-calorie sweetener may have metabolic effects in some users

Artificial sweeteners such as sucralose provide the seductive taste of sweetness without the calories contained in sugar - a seeming win-win for people who need to control their blood sugar and insulin levels or weight.

3 Feb 2020

As VA tests keto diet to help diabetic patients, skeptics raise red flags

A partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and Silicon Valley startup Virta Health Corp. is focusing attention on the company's claim that it provides treatment "clinically-proven to safely and sustainably reverse type 2 diabetes" without medication or surgery.

3 Feb 2020

Keto diet produces health benefits in the short term, Yale study finds

A ketogenic diet -- which provides 99% of calories from fat and only 1% from carbohydrates -- produces health benefits in the short term, but negative effects after about a week, Yale researchers found in a study of mice.

27 Jan 2020

People who eat high fiber, protein-rich diet more likely to experience bloating

People who eat high fiber diets are more likely to experience bloating if their high fiber diet is protein-rich as compared to carbohydrate-rich, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

27 Jan 2020

Sensitive Analysis of Sugars with HPLC-Electrochemical Detection

An interview with Dr. Kristin Folmert, Application & Academy, KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH.

From KNAUER Wissenschaftliche Geräte GmbH 23 Jan 2020

New findings can help develop more effective antibiotic treatments to fight superbugs

Researchers have found how an antibiotic used to treat a debilitating gut infection stays put inside the body giving it time to effectively treat the problem, a discovery that will pave the way for the development of more effective antibiotic treatments to fight superbugs.

22 Jan 2020

Association between healthy/unhealthy low fat and low carb diet and risk of death

A large study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston has found that there are no significant associations between low carb and low fat diets and risk of death. However the converse was not true. Unhealthy low fat and low carb diets were associated with a raised risk of deaths.

21 Jan 2020