key term - Polysaccharides

Definition

Polysaccharides are complex carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides.

Related terms

Starch:

This is a type of polysaccharide that plants use to store glucose for future energy needs.

Glycogen:

This is a type of polysaccharide that animals, including humans, use to store glucose in the liver and muscles for future energy needs.

Cellulose:

A structural polysaccharide found in plant cell walls. Humans cannot digest cellulose but it aids in dietary fiber.