carbohydrates

1. Substances composed of long chains of oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon molecules. Sugar, starch, and cellulose are all carbohydrates. In the human body, carbohydrates play a major role in respiration; in plants, they are important in photosynthesis.

Carbohydrates in food provide energy for the body and, if present in excess, are stored as fat.

Example Sentences

Modern fungi form symbiotic partnerships with most plants, supplying them with nutrients in exchange for carbohydrates.

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"Our findings show that symptoms are more often triggered by fermentable carbohydrates, commonly known as FODMAPs, by other wheat components or by people's expectations and prior experiences with food."

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Those who ate more fruits and vegetables -- and consumed more complex carbohydrates such as whole grains -- experienced longer periods of deep, undisturbed sleep.

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Both diets contained equal proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

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This leftover pulp, which makes up about 80% of the beet after sugar extraction, was transformed into carbohydrates that trigger plants' natural immune responses.

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