werner@aecom.UUCP (Craig Werner) (08/02/85)
Just for the record: Glucose = C H 0 (the most energetically stable sugar, the double bond 6 12 6 that makes it a sugar and not a poly-alcohol, is C1.) Glucose in the diet is D-glucose, D for Dextrorotarty, or right-handed. D-Glucose is sometimes called Dextrose. Fructose " " (same as above, but double bond is C2. Galactose " " (C1, but different geometry than glucose.) _Polysacharides_ (More than 1 simple sugar/molecule): Lactose found in milk, is Galactose+Glucose, Beta linkage (some people can't break the link, so are Lactose-intolerant. The associated bloating comes from the fact that intestinal bacteria eat it up (yum, yum) and produce gas. Starch poly-glucose, alpha linkages. Cellulose poly-glucose, beta linkages, cannot be digested by any mammal. Sucrose Table Sugar, refined sugar = Fructose+Glucose, alpha, and that's it. Maltose Glucose+Glucose, alpha, made by digesting starch in most cases. Also, anyone remember the infant formula 'Maltose-Dextrose.' -- Craig Werner !philabs!aecom!werner "The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"