Saccharides << SAK uh rydz >> are carbohydrates—one of the three main classes of food. Fats and proteins form the other two classes. Saccharides are classified according to their chemical structure. Monosaccharides, which have the simplest structure, include glucose, a sugar found in the blood. Monosaccharides, unlike other saccharides, cannot be broken down into simpler carbohydrates by treatment with dilute acids or by the action of certain enzymes. Disaccharides, such as sucrose (table sugar), consist of two monosaccharide molecules linked by an oxygen atom. Polysaccharides, such as starch and cellulose, may consist of thousands of linked monosaccharides. See also Carbohydrate ; Starch .
