Which category includes glucose (sugar), starches, and non-digestible cellulose?

The correct answer is carbohydrates because this category encompasses a wide range of compounds, including sugars, starches, and fiber. Carbohydrates are primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and they serve as a key source of energy for the body.

Glucose, a simple sugar, is the most basic form of carbohydrate and is crucial for providing energy to cells. Starches are complex carbohydrates composed of long chains of glucose molecules and serve as a storage form of energy in plants, which can be broken down into glucose when needed. Non-digestible cellulose, commonly found in plant cell walls, is a type of dietary fiber that plays an essential role in digestive health, even though it is not broken down into glucose by the human digestive system.

Understanding that carbohydrates are categorized into simple sugars, complex carbohydrates, and fibers is vital for nutritional science, as each type plays distinct roles in human health.