What is the predominant carbohydrate found in roughage?

What is the predominant carbohydrate found in roughage?

• A. Fat
• B. Cellulose
• C. Sugar
• D. Protein

Answer: (B)

Roughage is rich in plant fiber, so its predominant carbohydrate is cellulose. Cellulose is a long polymer of glucose that forms the structural framework of plant cell walls, giving tough, fibrous characteristics to roughage. In the animal gut, cellulose isn’t digested by many species, but ruminant microbes can break it down through fermentation to produce energy in the form of volatile fatty acids, which helps explain why roughage supports gut health and motility. Simple sugars are present but in much smaller amounts, and fats and proteins are not carbohydrates, so they aren’t the main carbohydrate you’d look for in roughage.

Roughage is rich in plant fiber, so its predominant carbohydrate is cellulose. Cellulose is a long polymer of glucose that forms the structural framework of plant cell walls, giving tough, fibrous characteristics to roughage. In the animal gut, cellulose isn’t digested by many species, but ruminant microbes can break it down through fermentation to produce energy in the form of volatile fatty acids, which helps explain why roughage supports gut health and motility. Simple sugars are present but in much smaller amounts, and fats and proteins are not carbohydrates, so they aren’t the main carbohydrate you’d look for in roughage.