Carbohydrates vs. Fats

Main Difference

The main difference between Carbohydrates and Fats is that carbohydrates are any of a large group of organic compounds arising in foods and living tissues, including sugars, cellulose, and starch, whereas fats are a natural oily substance appearing in animal bodies, especially when deposits as a layer beneath the skin or around specific organs.

Difference Between Carbohydrates and Fats

Comparison Chart

Carbohydrates vs. Fats

Carbohydrates are one of a large group of organic compounds in foods and living tissues and containing sugars, starch, and cellulose whereas fats is a natural oily substance arising in animal bodies, especially when depositing as a layer under the skin or around specific organs. Carbohydrates are soluble in water and the richest nutritional source of drive for all living creatures, whereas fats are unsolvable in water but soluble in ether, and alcohol, etc. Carbohydrate provides immediate energy after intake of food, but fats provide shelter to vital organs, cell membranes and also helps in the guideline of hormones. Carbohydrate can classify by the number of sugar units present in them, whereas fats are classifying by bonds, either single or double. At least 45-65 percentage of carbohydrate is taken per calorie intake whereas around 20-35 percentage of fat is intake. Carbohydrates are precursors of numerous organic compounds like fats and amino acids whereas fats serve as a basis of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). Carbohydrate comprises four calories/gram whereas fat contains nine calories/gram. Carbohydrates in the form of glycolipids and glycoproteins support the cell growth, connection, and other functions whereas fats help in keeping the proper body temperature.

What are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are the most significant macromolecule of all. Carbohydrate is the organic molecule containing empirical formula as (CH2O)n, that is carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen as the main constituents. But, some may enclose phosphate, nitrogen, or sulfur also. The function of carbohydrates is very vital, as apart from providing energy to the body, carbohydrate perform some other features too as in helping as structural and protective elements to the cell walls of plants and bacteria, operating an exoskeleton (hard covering) for arthropods, insects, lobster. Carbohydrates can categorize as simple and complex sugars. Simple sugars contain one or two units of sugars, while the complex includes three or more. On this basis of this division, carbohydrates contain three types, which are: Monosaccharide: These are the purest form of carbohydrate as mono means ‘one’ and saccharide means ‘sugar,’ containing the general formula as (CH2O)n. Oligosaccharide: Oligo means ‘few,’ contain small units of monosaccharides varying from 2 to 10, link by the glycosidic bond. Polysaccharides: As Poly means ‘many,’ molecules containing 10 or more repetitive units of monosaccharide link by the glycosidic bond.

What are Fats?

Fats are known as the purest form of lipids containing carboxylic acids with the side chain of the hydrocarbon. The chemical name of fats and oils is ‘Triglycerols,’ they are known to the derivative of hydrocarbons and esters of fatty acids with glycerol. Fats and oils are not polymers, as they are small molecules which are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents like ether, alcohol, etc. The primary function of fat is to store energy. Fats are classifying into two types: First is saturated fatty acids as they do not contain the double bond between carbon atoms. These are usually solid at room temperature, present in red meat, milk products, and palm. Second is unsaturated fatty acids as they contain double bonds between carbon atoms, present in Olive oil, Peanut oil, Walnuts, etc. Fatty acids comprising only one double bond are known as monounsaturated (MUFA), while those containing two or more double bonds are known as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA).

Conclusion

Above this discussion, it concludes that carbohydrates and fats play a vital role in providing energy and both contain equal importance in nature