Starch vs. Cellulose — What's the Difference?

Biochemically broken down into glucose by human enzymes.

Composed of beta-glucose units making it tough and insoluble.

A carbohydrate polymer consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds.

Used industrially in the production of paper and textiles.

Utilized as an energy reserve in various plants.

Also used as an additive in food to add texture and bulk.

Commercially used as a thickening agent in cooking.

A complex carbohydrate that forms the structural component of the plant cell wall.

Exists in two forms: amylose and amylopectin.

Not digestible by humans, used as a dietary fiber.

Starch or amylum is a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of numerous glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants for energy storage.

Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula (C6H10O5)n, a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to many thousands of β(1→4) linked D-glucose units. Cellulose is an important structural component of the primary cell wall of green plants, many forms of algae and the oomycetes.

An odourless, tasteless white substance occurring widely in plant tissue and obtained chiefly from cereals and potatoes. It is a polysaccharide which functions as a carbohydrate store and is an important constituent of the human diet.

A polysaccharide, (C6H10O5)n, that is composed of glucose monomers and is the main constituent of the cell walls of plants. It is used in the manufacture of numerous products, including paper, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and insulation.

Powder or spray made from starch and used before ironing to stiffen fabric or clothing

A complex carbohydrate that forms the main constituent of the cell wall in most plants and is important in the manufacture of numerous products, such as paper, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and explosives.

Stiffness of manner or character

(organic compound) A polysaccharide containing many glucose units in parallel chains.

Stiffen (fabric or clothing) with starch

Consisting of, or containing, cells.

(of a boxer) defeat (an opponent) by a knockout

Consisting of, or containing, cells.

A naturally abundant nutrient carbohydrate, (C6H10O5)n, found chiefly in the seeds, fruits, tubers, roots, and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice, and varying widely in appearance according to source but commonly prepared as a white amorphous tasteless powder.

The substance which constitutes the essential part of the solid framework of plants, of ordinary wood, cotton, linen, paper, etc. It is also found to a slight extent in certain animals, as the tunicates. It is a carbohydrate, (C6H10O5)n, isomeric with starch, and is convertible into starches and sugars by the action of heat and acids. When pure, it is a white amorphous mass. See Starch, Granulose, Lignin.

Any of various substances, such as natural starch, used to stiffen cloth, as in laundering.

A polysaccharide that is the chief constituent of all plant tissues and fibers

Starches Foods having a high content of starch, as rice, breads, and potatoes.

Stiff behavior

Vigor; mettle

To stiffen with starch.

(uncountable) A widely diffused vegetable substance, found especially in seeds, bulbs and tubers, as extracted (e.g. from potatoes, corn, rice, etc.) in the form of a white, glistening, granular or powdery substance, without taste or smell, and giving a very peculiar creaking sound when rubbed between the fingers. It is used as a food, in the production of commercial grape sugar, for stiffening linen in laundries, in making paste, etc.

Carbohydrates, as with grain and potato based foods.

(uncountable) A stiff, formal manner; formality.

(uncountable) Fortitude.

(countable) Any of various starch-like substances used as a laundry stiffener

To apply or treat with laundry starch, to create a hard, smooth surface.

Stiff; precise; rigid.

Stiff; precise; rigid.

A widely diffused vegetable substance found especially in seeds, bulbs, and tubers, and extracted (as from potatoes, corn, rice, etc.) as a white, glistening, granular or powdery substance, without taste or smell, and giving a very peculiar creaking sound when rubbed between the fingers. It is used as a food, in the production of commercial grape sugar, for stiffening linen in laundries, in making paste, etc.

Fig.: A stiff, formal manner; formality.

To stiffen with starch.

A complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants, notably in corn, potatoes, wheat, and rice; an important foodstuff and used otherwise especially in adhesives and as fillers and stiffeners for paper and textiles

Stiffen with starch;

No, humans cannot digest cellulose due to its beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds.

Starch is a carbohydrate polymer that plants use to store energy.

Starch is a major source of energy, as it is easily broken down into glucose.

Starch has a helical structure due to alpha-glucose units, while cellulose has a linear and rigid structure.

Cellulose is a carbohydrate polymer that constitutes the structural framework of plant cell walls.

As dietary fiber, cellulose aids in digestion and helps prevent constipation.

Starch provides energy necessary for seed germination and early growth.

As an additive, cellulose can increase fiber content and improve texture in processed foods.

Cellulose is also used to make paper, textiles, and as a food additive.

Starch is used as a thickener, binder, and stabilizer in the food industry.

Both are polysaccharides made up of glucose units but differ in their glucose linkage.

Cellulose helps in maintaining the structure and rigidity of plants, which is crucial for their growth.

Plants store starch in roots, seeds, and tubers for energy during dormancy or growth periods.

The beta-1,4 glycosidic bonds in cellulose cannot be broken down by human digestive enzymes.

Yes, starch can be enzymatically converted to sugar and has applications in biofuel production.