starch
Many simple sugars can combine by repeated condensation reactions until a very large molecule is formed. A polysaccharide is a complex carbohydrate polymer formed from the linkage of many monosaccharide monomers. One of the best known polysaccharides is starch, the main form of energy storage in plants. Starch is a staple in most human diets. Foods such as corn, potatoes, rice, and wheat have high starch contents. Starch is made of glucose monomers and occurs in both straight-chain and branched forms. Amylose is the straight-chain form and consists of hundreds of linked glucose molecules. The branched form of starch is called amylopectin. In the small intestine, starch is hydrolyzed to form glucose. The glucose can then be converted to biochemical energy or stored for later use.