After decades of growing public education about good nutrition and the role it plays in overall health, many if not most consumers are aware of the distinction between good carbohydrates (carbs) like dietary fiber, and bad carbs like sucrose. There’s no question that the overall trend toward healthier eating habits has led to evolving demand in the marketplace, and a deeper understanding of carbohydrate metabolism is a major element of this. Millions of informed consumers are looking for more good carbs and less bad carbs, among other qualities, in the food and beverage products they buy today.
Forward-looking manufacturers are responding by offering products with a range of alternative carbohydrate ingredients that claim improved metabolic balance. This is reflected in smarter choices in the supermarket aisles, and a greater control on the part of consumers as to what they put in their bodies. Thanks to a range of alternative food ingredients,inulin and oligofructose for example, many of these smarter choices are able to retain the appealing characteristics that continue to drive consumer interest, i.e., traditional expectations of taste, texture and mouthfeel.