Of the over 200 types of carbohydrates that exist, there are 8 essential sugars (carbohydrates)that are required for the proper function of your body. It is the following 8 sugars that form the foundation of glyconutrients.

• Fucose
• Galactose
• Glucose
• Mannose
• N-acetylgalactosamine
• N-acetylglucosamine
• N-acetylneuraminic acid
• Xylose

All of these sugars are naturally occurring plant carbohydrates. Each of these natural sugars has specific duties within your body and as a whole work to provide adequate nutrients to your body. While glucose and galactose are rather easily found in your daily diet through diary products and regular table sugar, the other 6 glyconutrients are rather hard to come by.