Les glucides: classifications et dénominations diverses

Carbohydrates are a very heterogeneous class of compounds in terms of molecular weights and metabolic fate. The main classifications take into account the degree of polymerization of the molecules (DP 1 & 2 = sugars; DP 3-9 = oligosides; DP ≥10 = polysaccharides), or the digestive and metabolic fate of carbohydrates. They are either digested and absorbed in the small intestine or fermented in the colon or excreted in the stool. According to the French regulation, “carbohydrates” only include metabolized carbohydrates (after absorption in the small intestine) by humans, including polyols. These are the “carbohydrates” that appear on the food label. Always according to the French regulation, the “sugars” are the mono- and disaccharides, with the exception of polyols.