A monosaccharide is a simple sugar molecule that cannot be broken down into smaller sugar units.
The building blocks are termed monosaccharides but there are also monosaccharide derivatives that occur within glycomolecules as discrete, basic units with specific linkages. The term monosaccharide is derived from the Greek monos (single) and sacchar (sugar).
Common examples of simple sugars or monosaccharides are glucose and fructose. Both of these monosaccharides are referred to as hexoses since they have six carbons. Glucose is abundant in many plant sources and makes up sweeteners such as corn sugar or grape sugar. Fructose found in honey and fruits.
Monosaccharides are reducing sugars. The test for reducing sugar is called Benedict’s test. They are sugars, which taste sweet, are soluble in water and are insoluble in non-polar solvents. They exist in straight chains or in the ring or cyclic forms.
Monosaccharides are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones; that is, they are molecules with more than one hydroxyl group (―OH), and a carbonyl group (C=O) either at the terminal carbon atom (aldose) or at the second carbon atom (ketose).
Monosaccharides are defined as the fundamental structure of carbohydrates, consisting of organic compounds classified as either aldehydes or ketones, with several hydroxyl groups.
The term “monosaccharide” originates from the Greek words “monos,” meaning “single” or “alone,” and “sacchar,” meaning “sugar.” Essentially, monosaccharides are carbohydrates consisting of a single saccharide unit.
A monosaccharide is the most basic form of carbohydrates. Monosaccharides can by combined through glycosidic bonds to form larger carbohydrates, known as oligosaccharides or polysaccharides.