Carbohydrate is the main source of energy needed by all living things to maintain life activities. It is not only a nutrient, but also some of them have special physiological activities. For example, heparin in the liver has anticoagulant effect; The sugar in blood type is related to immune activity.
In addition, the components of nucleic acid also contain carbohydrates-ribose and deoxyribose. Therefore, sugar compounds are more important to medicine.
Extended data:
Use of carbon and oxygen compounds:
1, general function
Carbohydrates are the main components and energy-supplying substances in the structure of living cells, and have important functions of regulating cell activities. There are three main forms of carbohydrates in the body, glucose, glycogen and sugar-containing complexes. The physiological functions of carbohydrates are related to the types of carbohydrates they ingest and the forms they exist in the body.
2. Normal demand
The FAO proposal also requires that the sources of carbohydrates should include complex carbohydrate starch, indigestible resistant starch, non-starch polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. Limit the intake of pure energy foods such as sugar, and advocate the intake of foods with high nutritional energy density to ensure the needs of human energy and nutrients, improve the gastrointestinal environment, and prevent dental caries.