In dealing with NCDs in general, I have found that mostly dietary fiber is reported instead of total carbohydrates intake. Also, the % energy contribution of carbohydrates is not reported these days. Can anyone please suggest me whether I should report both total carbohydrates (i.e. in grams) or just dietary fiber? If anyone can share some papers highlighting the same, it would be really helpful.
Dietary fiber (DF) comes under one type of carbohydrate. Only it is not digested so refer as essential non nutrient of human diet. While reporting carbohydrate content, is inclusive of dietary fiber. Depending upon type and significance of food product, dietary fiber is mentioned separately. If the manufacturer wish to claim for dietary fiber health effect, DF content must be reported separately.
Carbohydrates its role and functions in human nutrition
Carbohydrates, including mono carbohydrates, di carbohydrates and numerous
The fiber is one of the many carbohydrates, but they have a special role in nutrition
Therefore, the amount of intake of fiber is best to not be counted carbohydrates taken.
you can read my paper
UTILIZATION OF SOME FRUITS AND VEGETABLES WASTES AS A SOURCE OF DIETARY FIBERS IN CAKE MAKING
I would suggest you to take a look in this FAO document:
http://www.fao.org/uploads/media/FAO_2003_Food_Energy_02.pdf
FAO. Food and Agriculture Organization. Food and Nutrition Paper 77. Food energy - methods of analysis and conversion factors. Report of a technical workshop. Rome, 3-6 December 2002. Roma: FAO; 2003.
And for more up to date dietary fiber definition:
ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Circular_letters/CXCL2008/cl08_35e.pdf
Codex Alimentarius Commission. (2009) ALINORM 09/32/26 Guidelines for the use of nutrition claims: table of conditions for nutrient contents (part B) dietary fibre. Report of the 30th session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for special dietary uses, Capes Town, South Africa, 3-7 November, 2008
But country to country you can see different positions adopted. Here you can see Canada :
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/legislation/pol/fibre-label-etiquetage-eng.php
Carbohydrates is a big class in which dietary fiber resides. Dietary fiber do not contribute to energy but it has a beneficial physiological health effects. Most of the monosaccharides provide energy , but in variable amount. It is generally recommended that 50-55% of daily energy should derived from carbohydrates. It is also recommended that that daily diet should contain about 25-30 dietary fiber for better health. So taking of dietary fiber as well as other carbohydrates on daily basis is essential to maintain a good health.
Dietary Fibers fall under the category of Carbohydrates. It is imperative to report dietary fibers as they are the indigestible part. Total carbohydrate can be calculated from the sum of the weights of individual carbohydrates and fiber after each have been directly analysed.What needs to be reported also depends upon the country's food legislation.
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