Carbohydrates are stored in plants and animals in the form of

Carbohydrates are stored in plants and animals as starch and glycogen, respectively. In plants, glucose produced during photosynthesis is converted into starch for long-term storage in leaves, roots, and seeds [3]. Starch serves as an internal energy reserve used when the plant is not actively photosynthesizing [3]. In animals, including humans, excess glucose is converted into glycogen, a highly branched polysaccharide [4]. Glycogen is primarily stored in the liver and muscle tissues, where it can be rapidly broken down into glucose to maintain blood sugar levels or provide energy during physical exertion. While cellulose is a major carbohydrate in plants, it serves a structural role in cell walls rather than a storage function [4]. Therefore, starch is the storage form for plants, and glycogen is the storage form for animals [5].

Sources

1. [1] Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Life Processes in Plants > 10.2.1 Leaves: the ̒ food factories̓of plants > p. 140
2. [2] Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Life Processes in Plants > 10.2.3 Photosynthesis: in a nutshell > p. 146
3. [3] Science , class X (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Life Processes > 5.2.1 Autotrophic Nutrition > p. 81
4. [4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7778149/
5. [5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9879/