Which class of carbohydrates is directly involved in providing sweetness to foods?

Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates and are directly involved in providing sweetness to foods. These are single sugar units, such as glucose, fructose, and galactose, which can be easily absorbed by the body and trigger the sweetness receptors on the tongue. The unique structure of monosaccharides allows them to dissolve in water and interact with taste buds, thus imparting a sweet flavor that is often found in fruits and sweeteners like honey.

Polysaccharides, on the other hand, are complex carbohydrates made up of long chains of monosaccharides and do not exhibit sweetness due to their size and structural complexity. Disaccharides, while they do provide sweetness (like sucrose, which is made from glucose and fructose), are not as simple and immediate in taste as monosaccharides. Oligosaccharides, which consist of a few sugar units, are typically less sweet than monosaccharides and disaccharides and often have unique dietary roles rather than serving primarily as sweeteners. Thus, monosaccharides are the primary class of carbohydrates that directly contribute to the sweetness in foods.