Starch: meaning, definitions and examples

Repeated word

Use 'carbohydrate' when talking about a broad category of macronutrients found in foods, which includes sugars, starches, and fibers. Typically used in discussions regarding nutrition and diets.

• Bread and pasta are high in carbohydrates.
• Carbohydrates give you the energy needed for daily activities.

Use 'polysaccharide' in a scientific or formal context when referring to complex carbohydrates composed of long chains of monosaccharide units. Often found in academic or technical discussions.

• Cellulose is a common polysaccharide found in the cell walls of plants.
• Starch and glycogen are types of polysaccharides important for energy storage.

Use 'thickener' when referring to any substance, often a starch, that is added to food or other mixtures to increase their viscosity. It's more commonly used in culinary contexts.

• Cornstarch is a popular thickener for soups and sauces.
• He added a thickener to the gravy to make it less runny.

In this context, starch can also refer to the purified substance used for stiffening fabrics in laundry, appearing in care instructions or household tips.

• He used starch to give his shirts a crisp appearance.
• Ironing with starch can help your clothes hold their shape longer.

Used often in nutritional and scientific contexts to emphasize the presence of long chains of sugar molecules, particularly in discussions about diet and health.

• Athletes typically consume complex carbohydrates for sustained energy.
• Whole grains are a healthy source of complex carbohydrates.

Primarily utilized in scientific or academic settings to refer to long carbohydrate molecules with multiple sugar units. It is more technical and less common in everyday conversation.

• Cellulose is a type of polysaccharide found in plant cell walls.
• Scientists study polysaccharides to understand how they function in biological systems.