Carbohydrates:
- Carbohydrates are usually formed by carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms. However, it is worth noting that some carbohydrates may have other elements in their composition.
- Carbohydrates are also called sugars, carbohydrates or carbohydrates.
- Carbohydrates have an energetic and structural function and participate in the formation of nucleic acids.
- Carbohydrates can be classified into monosaccharides, disaccharides or polysaccharides, with monosaccharides being the simplest carbohydrates.
- Glucose is the best known monosaccharide.
- Cellulose and starch are two important polysaccharides. Cellulose is a component of the cell wall of plant cells, while starch acts as a reserve substance for plants.
- Carbohydrates can also be classified as simple and complex.
Proteins:
- Proteins are macromolecules that have amino acids as their basic unit. They act in the most varied functions of the organism, being related, for example, with defense, acceleration of chemical reactions, transport of substances and cellular communication.
- The proteins have different three-dimensional configurations, and can present primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structure. With regard to composition, they can be simple, conjugated or derived.
- We find proteins in several foods, with meat, milk and eggs being the richest in these macromolecules.
Lipids
Lipids are compounds with varied molecular structure, presenting several organic functions: energy reserve (energy source for hibernating animals), thermal insulator (mammals), in addition to collaborating in the composition of the plasma membrane of cells (phospholipids).
→ General characteristics of lipids
They are substances whose main characteristic is insolubility in polar solvents and solubility in organic (nonpolar) solvents, presenting a hydrophobic nature, that is, aversion to the water molecule.
This characteristic is of fundamental importance even if the organism has considerable water concentration. This is because insolubility allows a maintained interface between the intra and extracellular environment.
Lipids can be classified into oils (unsaturated substances) and fats (saturated substances), which are found in foods of both plant and animal origin, as well as fruits (avocado and coconut), soy, meat, milk and their derivatives and also in the egg yolk.
In general, all living things are capable of synthesizing lipids, however, some classes can only be synthesized by vegetables, as is the case with fat-soluble vitamins and essential fatty acids.
Nucleic acids:
Nucleic acids are macromolecules of chemical nature, formed by nucleotides, phosphoric group (phosphate), glycide (monosaccharide / pentoses) and a nitrogenous base, composing the genetic material contained in the cells of all living beings.
Present in the nucleus of eukaryotes and dispersed in the prokaryotic hyaloplasm, nucleic acids can be of two types: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), both related to the mechanism of cellular metabolic control (cell function) and hereditary transmission of characteristics.
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