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176 Objective Food Sc ience and Safety Standards

TABL E I :
C lass ification of carboh ydrat es based on molecular size
.
Sugar 1111/t/.J; Source
Carb11hyilN1te!i Exllmple
- Fruits, starch
Monos::iccharid e Glucose Glucose
(singh~ sugar uni t) Ga l:1rtost.> Gulactose M ilk ( as lactose)
Fructose Fru ctose Fru it

Oligosac:c haridc
Uisu,:c:lwr1de Sucrose Glucose -1 Fructose Sugar cane, beet
Lactose Glucose + Ga lal: lose M ilk
(] sugar u111rs)
Tr1sacc/10ridt 1 lsnmalt otriose Glu cose + Glucose + Glucose Degradation prod uct
of starch
(3 sugar units) Gent ia nosc Glucose + Glucose + fr uctose Gentia n rh izome
Pol) saccharide Starch Glucose Cereal s, tubers
(more than I0 Cellulose Gluc ose Plant stem
sugar units) Pectin Galacturoni c aci d Fru its
Algi ni c acids Monou ronic acid + guluron ic acid Brown seaweeds
Carrageenans Ga lactose Red seaweed

TABLE 2:
Dietary fiber functions and benefits

Type of fiber Fu11ctio11s Benefits

- -
Soluble • It adds bulk to ou r diet, • Lowers b load sugar levels
• It has high satiety value • Reduce risk o f colorectal cancer
• II attracts water and gets
converted to gel during digestion.
The gel traps carbohydrates thus
slowi ng absorption of glucose
• It balan ces intestinal pH and
sti mulates intesti nal ferme ntation
-- -- production of short-chai n fatty acids
Inso lu ble fi ber • It adds bul k to our diet' • It reduces ri sk of heart di sease
• It has high sati ety value • It may redu ce onset ris k or symptoms
• It lowers total and LDL cholesterol of metabo li c syndrome and dia betes
• It regul ates blood sugar • It fac ilitates regularity
• It increases the passage of foods • It allev iates constipation
thro ugh th e digestive system
• It add s bulk to the stool
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