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Design of wholesome cereal foods: What about carbohydrates?
K. S. POUTANEN (1). (1) VTT, Espoo, Finland
Dietary carbohydrates have received a lot of attention in the last years from the nutritional point of view, and consumer concern is increasing, too. As cereal foods are the main carbohydrate source in the diet, we should pay attention to their carbohydrate quality. The natural source of available carbohydrate in cereal foods is starch. Cereal unavailable carbohydrates, <i>ie</i> constituents of dietary fiber (DF), are present especially in foods rich in bran and whole grain. They bring along an array of non-carbohydrate grain constituents, often named bioactive compounds, which further increase the nutrient density of the food. Wholesome cereal foods should thus be rich in grain DF and whole grain.
Amount of available carbohydrates, food structure, presence of phenolic food components and soluble DF all have an impact on the postprandial glycaemic profile of the food. As frequent rapid large changes in blood glucose should be avoided, slow hydrolysis of starch and slow release of glucose from the cereal food in the bloodstream is considered positive. Addition of refined sugar in the recipe of cereal foods will dilute the nutrient density and render the foods less wholesome.
Unavailable carbohydrates are not absorbed in the small intestine, but may influence food digestion and signalling in the upper gastrointestinal tract starting already in the mouth. When these carbohydrates pass to the large intestine they are hydrolysed and fermented by intestinal microbiota, having many health-protective consequences. Wholesome cereal foods should thus have a high ratio of unavailable to available carbohydrates, provide slow release of glucose in the gastrointestinal tract, and have features which improve insulin function, <i>ie</i> glucose uptake from blood to tissues.
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