Which type of carbohydrate is classified as a simple sugar?

Monosaccharides are classified as simple sugars because they are the most basic form of carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar units. Common examples of monosaccharides include glucose, fructose, and galactose. These substances are quickly absorbed by the body, providing a rapid source of energy.

In contrast, oligosaccharides consist of 2 to 10 monosaccharide units and are more complex than monosaccharides, serving different functions in the body, such as being involved in digestion and gut health. Polysaccharides, on the other hand, are long chains of monosaccharide units (more than ten), such as starch and cellulose, and require more time for the body to break them down into simpler sugars. Disaccharides consist of two monosaccharide units, such as sucrose and lactose, and while they are simple sugars, they are classified as more complex than monosaccharides because they need to be split into their constituent monosaccharides for absorption.

Thus, monosaccharides stand out as the simplest form of carbohydrates, making them the correct answer to the question regarding which type is classified as a simple sugar.