Question

How do carbohydrates differ from lipids?

Answer 1

Carbohydrates are molecules that constitute more oxygen than fats and proteins and it needs only fewer molecules of oxygen for their oxidation. Carbohydrates are termed to be stored as glycogen in tissues for generating energy whenever required.

Complete answer:
Carbohydrates are more required for the generation of energy in the body than proteins and fats because carbohydrate molecules constitute relatively more oxygen than fat and proteins and consequently, they need fewer molecules of oxygen for their oxidation. Carbohydrates remain stored in the tissue in the form of glycogen for use in the production of energy, when necessary.

Now let us see difference between carbohydrates and lipids:

Carbohydrates	Lipids
Carbohydrates are divided into Monosaccharides, Disaccharides, Polyols, Oligosaccharides, and Polysaccharides	Lipids are divided into Fatty acids, Glycerolipids Glycerophospholipids, Sphingolipids, Sterol lipids, Prenol lipids, Saccharolipids and Polyketides
4 calories of energy per gram of energy is synthesised in the human cells when metabolizing the carbohydrates	9 calories of energy per gram of energy is synthesised in the human cells when metabolizing the lipids
Majority of carbohydrates that are categorised are soluble in water, and are hydrophilic	Lipids are generally insoluble in water because they are hydrophobic
Wheat, maize, rice, barley fruits and milk are natural sources of carbohydrates	Peanuts, cashew nuts, almonds, walnut, avocado, sunflower, flax, rapeseed seeds, legumes (soy), fish and sea foods are natural sources of lipids

Note: Folate the kind of lipid rapidly loses activity over the periods of days and weeks, and also there is a significant loss of biochemical activity during harvesting, storage, processing, and preparation.