Let me share with you a comparison between Monosaccharides and Disaccharides.
| Aspect | Monosaccharides | Disaccharides |
| Introduction | · Sugars that cannot be broken down by hydrolysis into other simpler sugars. | · Sugar, that is formed when two monosaccharides linked together are by glycosidic bonds. |
| Structure | · Usually consist of a single polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone | · Two monosaccharide molecules bonded together |
| Solubility | · Highly soluble in water | · Also soluble in water, but may be less soluble than monosaccharides |
| Taste | · Sweet in taste | · Less sweet in taste than monosaccharides |
| Occurrence | · Monosacchrides are present in fruits and vegetables such as corn, peas and sweet potatoes. | · Disaccharides found in food sources such as sucrose, lactose and maltose |
| Function
|
· Serve as the primary source of energy for the cells | · Broken down into monosaccharides during digestion and provide energy |
| Examples | · Glucose
· Fructose · Galactose |
· Sucrose
· Lactose · Maltose |