ACE Health Coach Certification Practice Test

What differentiates disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides?

1. The number of sugar compounds linked together

2. The number of calories per gram of carbohydrate

3. Different types of caloric sweeteners

4. Different types of non-caloric sweeteners

The correct answer is: The number of sugar compounds linked together

The correct response highlights the fundamental structural difference among disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides, which lies in the number of sugar units they contain. Disaccharides are formed from two monosaccharide molecules linked together, such as sucrose (table sugar), which is made of glucose and fructose. Oligosaccharides consist of three to ten monosaccharide units and can be found in foods like beans and some vegetables. Polysaccharides, on the other hand, consist of long chains of monosaccharides and can include hundreds or thousands of sugar units; examples include starch and cellulose. Understanding this distinction is crucial for recognizing how these carbohydrate types function in nutrition and metabolism, which is a key concept in health coaching. The other options related to caloric content and types of sweeteners do not pertain to the structural classifications of carbohydrates, making them irrelevant in this context.