The scientific basis for healthful carbohydrate profile.

Dietary guidelines indicate that complex carbohydrates should provide around half of the calories in a balanced diet, while sugars (i.e., simple carbohydrates) should be limited to no more than 5-10% of total energy intake. To achieve this public health goal a collective effort from different entities including governments, food & beverage industries and consumers is required. Some food companies have committed to continually reduce sugars in their products. Different solutions can be used to replace sugars in food products but it is important to ensure that these solutions are more healthful than the sugars they replace. The objectives of this paper are, (1) to identify carbohydrates and carbohydrates sources to promote and those to limit for dietary intake and food product development, based on current knowledge about the impact of carbohydrates on the development of dental caries, obesity and cardio-metabolic disorders (2) to evaluate the impact of food processing on the quality of carbohydrates and (3) to highlight the challenges of developing healthier products due to the limitations and gaps in food regulations, science & technology and consumer education.

Reduced energy intake at breakfast is not compensated for at lunch if a high-insoluble-fiber cereal replaces a low-fiber cereal.

BACKGROUND: In cohort studies, insoluble fiber has been associated with a reduced risk of obesity and diabetes; however, compared with soluble fiber, its role in the regulation of short-term food intake (FI) and satiety has received little attention. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to compare the effects of a high-insoluble-fiber (HF) cereal with a low-fiber (LF) cereal on FI, subjective appetite (SA), and plasma glucose (PG) in healthy individuals. DESIGN: Males and females (n = 32) were randomly assigned to consume 60 g of either HF (26 g insoluble fiber, 120 kcal) or LF (1 g fiber, 217 kcal) breakfast cereal. Pre- and postlunch SA and PG were measured regularly for 4 h, and ad libitum FI was measured at 3 h. RESULTS: The prelunch SA area under the curve did not differ between the 2 cereals, but when expressed as change in appetite per kilocalorie of cereal, HF suppressed SA more than did LF (-17.6 +/- 1.8 compared with -10.0 +/- 1.1 mm . min . kcal(-)(1), respectively; P < 0.01). Lunchtime FI did not differ between cereals, but cumulative energy intake (cereal + lunch) was lower after the HF than after the LF cereal (1330 +/- 57 compared with 1422 +/- 66 kcal, respectively; P = 0.01). The prelunch PG area under the curve (P < 0.0001) and the immediate postlunch PG (P = 0.01) were lower after HF cereal consumption. CONCLUSIONS: An HF breakfast cereal contributes to a cumulative reduction in breakfast and lunch energy intake, possibly due to its high satiety value per kilocalorie. A short-term benefit of the HF cereal, compared with LF cereal, was lower PG concentration before and immediately after lunch.

Insoluble cereal fiber reduces appetite and short-term food intake and glycemic response to food consumed 75 min later by healthy men.

BACKGROUND: Insoluble fiber consumption is associated with reduced risk of obesity and diabetes, but its mechanisms of action are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to describe the effect of insoluble fiber on appetite, short-term food intake, and blood glucose (BG) before and after a meal 75 min later in healthy men. DESIGN: In a crossover design, high-fiber (HF; 33 g insoluble fiber) cereal, low-fiber (LF) cereal, white bread (WB), and water control were administered to young men after an overnight fast. Caloric treatments had similar energy, macronutrient content, volume, and weight. In the first experiment, subjective appetite and BG were measured at 15-min intervals before and after an ad libitum meal at 75 min. In the second experiment, a preset pizza meal (850 kcal) was consumed at 75 min. Appetite and blood glucose were measured for 150 min at fasting and at 15-min intervals before and after the fixed meal. RESULTS: In experiment 1, ad libitum food intake was lower after the HF cereal and WB than after the LF cereal and water (937 +/- 86, 970 +/- 65, 1109 +/- 90, 1224 +/- 89 kcal, respectively; P < 0.001). Appetite was lower (P < 0.05) after the HF cereal than after the WB but not different from the LF cereal. The BG area under the curve (AUC) did not differ among the HF cereal, WB, and LF cereal from 0 to 75 min, but the postmeal BG increased after the WB and LF cereal but not after the HF cereal. In experiment 2, the HF cereal, but not the LF cereal or WB, increased fullness before and prevented an increase in the BG AUC after the preset meal (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A serving of 33 g insoluble fiber reduced appetite, lowered food intake, and reduced glycemic response to a meal consumed 75 min later.