Carbohydrates: Science Lesson

Wrap-up

Chew on all the carbs that make up a balanced meal: sweet sugar, satisfying starch, and fulfilling fiber. Also, to learn more about the connection between carbohydrates and photosynthesis, check out Photosynthesis: Science Lesson.

In this lesson you:

• Identified three different types of carbohydrates
• Explored the chemical elements that make up carbohydrates
• Learned the vocabulary of carbohydrate molecules
• Discovered what happens to carbs in the body

On your own:

• Analyze the ingredients in your favorite meal. Does the meal contain a good balance of sugar, starch, and dietary fiber? Check out the nutrition data for the ingredients online.
• Find and define words that use prefixes such as mono-, di-, and poly-.  For example, what is the meaning of “monotone,” "dichotomy," and “polyester?”
• Check out the relationship between blood sugar (glucose) and diabetes.