carbohydrate digestion

Much has been learned about carbohydrate digestion and absorption over the last 20 years, and this new knowledge has, in many ways, changed completely the way we think about dietary carbohydrates. We now know that starches are not completely digested, and, indeed, some are quite poorly digested. We have learned that the undigestible carbohydrates are not just neutral bulking agents, but have important physiologic effects, and even contribute energy to the diet. ”Sugar” is not bad for health, and starches are not all equal in their effects on blood glucose and lipids. However, knowledge in all these areas is far from complete. In addition, there is unresolved controversy about how to define and how to measure dietary fibre and starch, and different methods are in use in different parts of the world. This presents a major challenge for those who have the responsibility of formulating policies and recommendations about dietary carbohydrates and how the energy value and carbohydrate composition of foods is determined.