Oligosaccharides: characteristics: structure

 

Oligosaccharides:

Oligosaccharides have very important function in our body, such as regulation of cell structure. Oligosaccharides are simple carbohydrates. They have many nutritional functions. They are glycosides. In this article I will discuss about What is oligosaccharides, Types of oligosaccharides, Function of Oligosaccharides, Sources of Oligosaccharides, and Nutritional value of Oligosaccharides.  Always remember oligosaccharides are not dietary fibers, So this article will focus on oligosaccharides instead of dietary fibers. And if you want to want know about dietary fibers then click on this link and read our complete article about dietary fibers:

What are Oligosaccharides?

Oligosaccharides are water soluble polymers of monosaccharaides. There are three types of carbohydrates:

1. Monosaccharaides:

These are also called simple sugars. Such as glucose, fructose and sucrose etc.

• Oligosaccharides:

These are also called glycosides. They are polymers of few monosaccharaides. Such as: Xylo-oligosaccharides

• Polysaccharides:

These are also called complex carbohydrates. They are polymers of many monosaccharaides. Such as starch, glycogen, etc.

If you want to read about polysaccharides then click on this link and visit our article about polysaccharides:

So, according to this classification Oligosaccharides are carbohydrates that are polymers of 3 to 10 monosaccharaides. Some researchers considered that oligosaccharides are also simple sugars. They considered that there are only two types of carbohydrates, monosaccharaides and complex carbohydrates.

Types of Oligosaccharides:

According to the structure of Oligosaccharides it is classified into two classes:

O-linked Oligosaccharides:

In this type of oligosaccharides O linked is attached on the thrionin and serine on hydroxyl group. These are occurs in golgi apparatus, and in golgi apparatus monosaccharides attached to form polypeptide chains. It is found in cells and cell structure.  

N-linked Oligosaccharides:

In this type oligosaccharides attached to asparagine with a beta linkage to amine nitrogen. All N-linked oligosaccharides are formed by the combination of five monosaccharaides. They are involved in the folding of polypeptide chain.

Function of oligosaccharides:

Oligosaccharides are water soluble polymers. They are found in the D-glucose homopolymers and , and these hmompolymers are called malto-oligosaccharides. As we know that oligosaccharides are short chain polysaccharides and So, two basic physiological function of oligosaccharides are given below:

• First of all, the most important thing, that oligosaccharides are indigestible by human stomach.
• They are preferentially consumed by  beneficial intestinal bacteria. So when the bacteria of colon grow then our digestive system improves.

In japan it is food component. They make packets of polysaccharides, after that these packets come in market. They eat it as a food ingredient. According to many researches some functions of oligosaccharides are given below:

Proliferation of Bifidobacterial:

Oligosaccharides are involved in the proliferation of colon bacteria that are involved in the removal of pathogenic bacteria from colon and improve digestive system.

Reduce Toxic metabolites:

It is involved in the removal toxic metabolites from body. As we know that oligosaccharides cannot digest by human stomach. They bind all extra toxic metabolites with them.

Protect Constipation:

Oligosaccharides are indigestible in human body. They are involved in the improvement if digestive system and protect from constipation.

Reduce blood pressure:

They are also involved in the reduction of cholesterol level and reduce blood pressure level. They are important in hypertension condition.

Anticancer effects:

According new researches, Dr J.A Awan wrote in his book that Oligosaccharides have anticancer effects in body.

Sources of Oligosaccharides:

Sources of oligosaccharides with their types are given below:

• Arabinoxylan-Oligosaccharides are found in cereals.
• Gentio-Oligossacharides found in beans, peas, lentils and whole grains etc.
• Glico-Oligosaccharides: They are produce in sucrose.
• HMO (Human milk oligosaccharides) they are produce in human breast  milk.
• Lactosucrose: It is found in the lactose and sucrose.
• Maltotriose: It is produce during digestion from starch, it is also found in lipids glucose and most common in brown rice syrups.
• N-acetylchito-oligosaccahrides it is found in chitosan
• Xylo oligosaccharides: It is produced by brich wood.

Conclusion:

At the end in the light of above discussion we can say that oligosaccharides are most important for human being’s. These are produce in natural foods. And these are involved in many functions of body due to their indigestibility in human digestive system. They are involve to enhance digestive function in our body. If we will discuss about the dietary recommendation of oligosaccharides then 3 gram oligosaccharides are recommend per day.