Is lactose a polysaccharide?

We know that from the perspective of sugar composition, it is mainly divided into monosaccharides and polysaccharides. Lactose is a kind of sugar in the milk of mammals in nature. It belongs to the synthesis of cerebrosides and mucopolysaccharides. It is very important for the intellectual development of children. Generally speaking, lactose belongs to oligosaccharides, and it should also be classified as a type of polysaccharide, not a monosaccharide. It has special nutritional functions. Let's take a look at this aspect.

Is lactose a polysaccharide?

Sugars are divided into monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. The "sugar" in the "non-sugar substances" mentioned in the book you read should specifically refer to monosaccharides, which are the sugars we often talk about, such as glucose. Lactose is a disaccharide, which is composed of two monosaccharides, also known as oligosaccharides, and starch is a polysaccharide, which is composed of N monosaccharide molecules. Of course, the monosaccharide molecules that make up different oligosaccharides and polysaccharides are also different, so I won't go into details here. In short, lactose is a sugar and a type of oligosaccharide.

Special nutritional functions

Lactose is one of the main nutrients for children's growth and development. It is very important for the intellectual development of adolescents, especially for newborn babies. It is absolutely indispensable. In nature, only the milk of mammals contains lactose, and various plant foods do not contain lactose.

The main function of lactose is to supply heat energy to the human body. Children and adults require a lot of heat energy for growth, metabolism, tissue synthesis, maintaining normal body temperature, physical exercise, and labor work. In particular, children are better at decomposing, digesting, absorbing and utilizing sugar than adults. Lactose is the driving force for the development and activity of children's organs, nerves, limbs, muscles, etc.

The development of children's brain cells and the health of the entire nervous system require a large amount of lactose. Children under one year old need about 13 grams of sugar per kilogram of body weight per day. Another important function of lactose is to promote the reproduction and growth of lactic acid bacteria in the intestines of children. In the intestines, lactose produces lactic acid under the action of Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, various enzymes and certain microorganisms. Lactic acid has a regulating and protective effect on the gastrointestinal tract of children. It can inhibit poisoning caused by toxins produced by abnormal fermentation in the intestines, and can also inhibit the reproduction of harmful bacteria in the intestines.

Another function of lactose is that it can promote children's absorption of calcium during calcium metabolism. The sweetness in milk comes from lactose, but lactose is less sweet than other sugars so it will not cause children's picky eating.