Catabolism of Sugars and Carbohydrates

The general term metabolism includes the breaking down of molecules to release energy from the chemical bonds of food molecules and provide that energy for the essential processes of life (catabolism) and the building up of complex molecules which the cells need (anabolism). The breaking down of the large sugar molecules to the readily usable ATP follows the process called cellular respiration. The steps of aerobic cellular respiration are shown below.