Ama-monosaccharides (avela kuma-Greek monos: single, sacchar: ushukela), abizwa nangokuthi ushukela olula, yiyona ndlela elula kunazo zonke kashukela kanye namayunithi ayisisekelo (ama-monomers) ama-carbohydrate. Ifomula ejwayelekile ithi CnH2nOn, noma i- [Cn (H2O) n] noma i- {CH2O} n yize kungewona wonke ama-molecule afaka le fomula (isb. i-acetic acid) angama-carbohydrate. Imvamisa ayinakho okuqinile okungenambala, okuncibilika emanzini, nokristallini. Ngokuphikisana negama labo (shukela), ama-monosaccharides athile kuphela anambitheka kamnandi. Izibonelo zama-monosaccharides zifaka phakathi i-glucose (dextrose), i-fructose (levulose), ne-galactose. Ama-monosaccharides ayizakhi zokwakha ama-disaccharides (njenge-sucrose ne-lactose) nama-polysaccharides (njenge-cellulose nesitashi). I-athomu ngayinye yekhabhoni esekela iqembu le-hydroxyl yi-chiral, ngaphandle kwalezo ezisekupheleni kochungechunge. Lokhu kuphakamisa amafomu amaningi we-isomeric, onke anefomula efanayo yamakhemikhali. Isibonelo, i-galactose ne-glucose womabili angama-aldohexoses, kepha anezakhiwo ezihlukile zomzimba nezakhiwo zamakhemikhali. I-monosaccharide glucose idlala indima ebalulekile ekusetshenzisweni komzimba, lapho amandla amakhemikhali akhishwa khona nge-glycolysis kanye nomjikelezo we-citric acid ukuhlinzeka amandla ngezinto eziphilayo.