Nondigestible Carbohydrates and Digestive Health

Featuring authors from academia as well as industry, this book provides a broad view of carbohydrates influencing digestive health. Part 1 is a general overview of carbohydrates that function as prebiotics or fermentable carbohydrates. Part 2 is a more in depth examination of specific carbohydrates for digestive health and applications. This book provides an in-depth review and thorough foundation for food scientists, product developers and nutrition scientists seeking to understand the digestive health implications of carbohydrates.§Key features:§Analyzes the most active fields of research currently performed on nondigestible carbohydrates§Focuses on the growing opportunity to deliver digestive health benefits through fibers and other novel carbohydrates§Authors include highly recognized researchers from academe and industry experts§Explores new possibilities in prebiotics and fermentable carbohydratesCarbohydrates are a diverse set of compounds that are well known as nutritive ingredients to provide energy such as sugars and starches. Lesser known, but emerging, are carbohydrates that provide digestive health benefits such as enhanced immune system, mineral adsorption, and colonic health in general. These types of carbohydrates are not digested by either the stomach or small intestine and reach the colon intact or only partially digested. The chemical structure and bonding arrangement of these carbohydrates play a key role in their efficacy as prebiotic or fermentable substrates. Evolving science regarding prebiotics such as fructo-, galacto-, and xylo-oligosaccharides, as well as fermentable carbohydrates such as pectin, arabinoxylans, and resistant starch demonstrates the diversity of carbohydrates and their function in digestive health. Featuring authors from academia as well as industry, Nondigestible Carbohydrates and Digestive Health provides a broad view of carbohydrates influencing digestive health with an in-depth review and thorough foundation for food scientists, product developers and nutrition scientists seeking to understand the digestive health implications of carbohydrates.§Special Features:§Analyzes the most active fields of research currently performed on nondigestible carbohydrates§Focuses on the growing opportunity to deliver digestive health benefits through fibers and other novel carbohydrates§Authors include highly recognized researchers from academe and industry experts§Explore new possibilities in prebiotics and fermentable carbohydrates