Table 1.
Overview of the major dietary carbohydrates.
| Class (DP) | Subgroup | Principal components | Physiology | Possible source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sugars (1–2) | Monosaccharides | Glucose, fructose, galactose | Absorbed | Fruits |
| Disaccharides | Sucrose, maltose, trehalose | Absorbed | Sugar cane/beets | |
| Lactose | Absorbed/fermented | Dairy | ||
| Polyols (sugar alcohols) | Sorbitol, mannitol, lactitol, xylitol, erythritol, isomalt, maltitol | Absorbed/fermented | Synthetic | |
| Oligosaccharides (3–9) (short-chain carbohydrates) | Malto-oligosaccharides (α-glucans) | Maltodextrins | Digested/fermented | Glucose syrups |
| Non-α-glucan oligosaccharides | Raffinose, stachyose | Fermented | Beans, peas, soya | |
| Fructo-oligosaccharides, galacto-oligosaccharides | Enzymatic synthesis | |||
| Polydextrose | Synthetic | |||
| Inulin | Wheat, onion, banana | |||
| Polysaccharides (≥10) | Starch (α-glucans) | Amylose, amylopectin, modified starches | Digested/fermented | Potatoes |
| Non-starch polysaccharides | Cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, arabinoxylans, β-glucan, glucomannans, plant gums and mucilages, hydrocolloids, soluble corn fiber | Fermented | Cell wall plant cells (fruits/vegetables) | |