Oligosaccharides are a sort of carbohydrate naturally present in an array of plant meals.
Their capacity to behave as a prebiotic (meals on your intestine micro organism) could provide a variety of well being advantages, together with a stronger immune system, a diminished urge for food, and improved intestine well being.
Due to this, it’s now turning into fashionable for meals makers so as to add oligosaccharides to meals that don’t naturally include them, together with protein bars and glucose syrup.
On this article, I’ll describe what oligosaccharides are and the way they evaluate with polysaccharides.
I’ll additionally focus on which meals yow will discover them in, and whether or not these meals are really value including to your weight loss program.
Oligosaccharides are a sort of carbohydrate chain made up of three to 10 easy sugars, that are also called monosaccharides (
To offer you some perspective, table sugar, additionally referred to as sucrose, is made up of two easy sugars joined collectively — glucose and fructose.
Many oligosaccharides are naturally current in widespread vegatables and fruits, so it’s very doable you eat them repeatedly.
The big majority of oligosaccharides can’t be damaged down by the human digestive tract. As an alternative, they journey by way of your intestine all the way in which to the colon, the place they feed and assist the expansion of beneficial bacteria (
Due to this, oligosaccharides are thought of prebiotics — a supply of prebiotic fiber.
Many several types of oligosaccharides exist. Probably the most generally identified ones embody (
- fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
- galactooligosaccharides (GOS)
- human milk oligosaccharides (HMO)
- gluco-oligosaccharides
- lactulose-derived galactooligosaccharides (LDGOS)
- xylooligosaccharides (XOS)
- arabinooligosaccharides (AOS)
- algae-derived marine oligosaccharides (ADMO)
- pectin-derived acidic oligosaccharides (pAOS)
- maltooligosaccharides (MOS)
- cyclodextrins (CD)
Oligosaccharides vs. polysaccharides
Like oligosaccharides, polysaccharides additionally include a series of monosaccharides.
Nevertheless, whereas oligosaccharides are made up of three to 12 easy sugars, polysaccharides can include a whole bunch.
Due to this fact, the principle distinction between the 2 is that polysaccharides are for much longer chains of straightforward sugars than oligosaccharides.
Probably the most generally mentioned polysaccharides embody starch, cellulose, beta-glucan, pectin, xanthan, carrageenan, agar, and inulin (
It’s value noting that inulin is typically additionally thought of an oligosaccharide, relying on the size of its chain.
Similar to oligosaccharides, some polysaccharides can act as prebiotics, enhancing the steadiness of helpful to dangerous micro organism in your intestine (
Abstract
Oligosaccharides are chains of carbohydrates that may act as prebiotics within the physique, feeding your intestine micro organism. Polysaccharides are additionally chains of carbohydrates, however they’re much longer in construction than oligosaccharides.
Oligosaccharides happen naturally in some meals, and producers add them to others. The meals naturally richest in oligosaccharides embody (
- Greens: scallions, white onions, leek, garlic, kale, red cabbage, inexperienced cabbage, broccoli, and Jerusalem artichoke
- Fruit: nectarines, watermelon, pears, blueberries, bitter cherries, mulberries, pink currants, raspberries, cantaloupes, figs, and bananas
- Grains: wheat and rye
- Legumes: allbeans, peas, and lentils
Though different meals do naturally include some oligosaccharides, the quantity they include is minimal, in order that they aren’t thought of a superb supply of oligosaccharides, in accordance with older analysis (6).
What are human milk oligosaccharides?
Oligosaccharides are additionally naturally current in human milk.
Up to now, about 15 completely different human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) have been recognized, and every is made up of a series of 5 fundamental monosaccharides (
Toddler components comprises no HMOs, however some varieties do have galactooligosaccharides (GOSs) and fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) added to them.
Once they’re utilized in toddler components, GOSs and FOSs are supposed to mimic the prebiotic composition of breast milk. Animal analysis suggests they could present some related well being advantages as breast milk (
That mentioned, GOS and FOS are structurally completely different from the oligosaccharides present in breastmilk. Furthermore, breastmilk comprises a bigger number of oligosaccharides (
Due to this fact, extra analysis is required on this subject earlier than scientists could make sturdy conclusions.
Meals with added oligosaccharides
Producers typically add oligosaccharides to different meals that don’t naturally include them.
Inulin is the commonest oligosaccharide producers use. It’s typically used as a alternative for fats or sugar, to switch a meals’s texture, or to extend its prebiotic content material (
Inulin is mostly added to (
- bakery meals, akin to breads and desserts
- breakfast cereals
- dairy merchandise
- meat merchandise
- frozen desserts
- desk spreads
- fillings
- salad dressings
- chocolate
- protein bars and meal replacers
Oligossacharides can be used as low-calorie sweeteners.
Mogrosides are one instance. These are oligosaccharides extracted from monk fruit. Oligosaccharides might also be added to glucose syrups to cut back their sugar content material with out affecting their sweetness (9).
Nevertheless, as a result of present reputation of different varieties of low-calorie sweeteners, sweeteners comprised of oligosaccharides usually are not quite common (
Abstract
Oligosaccharides might be naturally present in human milk and varied plant meals. Meals producers additionally artificially add them to packaged meals to reinforce their taste, texture, or prebiotic content material.
On account of their prebiotic motion, oligosaccharides have been linked to a wide range of advantages.
Improved intestine well being
Prebiotics are a type of dietary fiber that feeds the wholesome micro organism residing in your intestine.
When intestine micro organism feed on prebiotics, they produce a wide range of helpful substances, together with short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)s. SCFAs assist decrease the intestine pH, which in flip, limits the expansion of dangerous micro organism (
For example, by rising the expansion of wholesome micro organism in a child’s intestine, HMOs could assist cut back their danger of experiencing necrotizing enterocolitis (NE) (
NE is a life-threatening sickness that mostly impacts newborns. It causes irritation within the intestine, which might then progress to a full-body an infection and should lead to loss of life in as many as half of instances (
As well as, some research counsel that taking 3.5–20 grams of FOSs per day could assist cut back signs of irritable bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease — two problems that may have an effect on the intestine in adults (
Nevertheless, different research discovered that taking FOSs had no impact in any respect, so extra analysis on their results is required.
There’s additionally some proof linking prebiotics to a decrease danger of colon most cancers. Nevertheless, most of this proof comes from animal research, and never all human research discover related outcomes. Due to this fact, extra analysis is required (
Lastly, oligosaccharides akin to FOS and inulin can add bulk to stools and cut back the chance of constipation (
Stronger immune system
Oligosaccharides can strengthen your immune system, each straight and not directly.
Not directly, their prebiotic motion promotes the expansion of helpful micro organism, akin to Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, which assist struggle off dangerous micro organism (
The SCFAs which might be produced when micro organism ferment oligosaccharides within the colon additional assist cut back the expansion of dangerous micro organism by stopping them from attaching to the intestine wall (
Immediately, oligosaccharides assist keep the integrity of the physique’s barrier membranes within the intestine, lungs, and even the pores and skin. That is thought to assist defend the physique from allergy symptoms and infections (
Extra particularly, a number of research counsel that consuming FOSs and GOSs could cut back the chance of growing higher respiratory infections in early childhood (
As well as, a number of different research counsel that when infants eat HMOs they could have a decrease danger of growing allergy symptoms, eczema, and asthma in early childhood (
Some older research additional counsel that taking FOS could even enhance the way in which your physique responds to vaccines, together with the influenza and measles vaccine (
Nevertheless, extra research are wanted to analyze these results.
Different doable advantages
Oligosaccharides could present a number of extra well being advantages.
- Could enhance reminiscence. A handful of research counsel that taking FOS or GOS each day could improve focus, recall, and reminiscence in adults (
15 ). - Could cut back danger elements for coronary heart illness. Prebiotics — inulin particularly — have been linked to decrease complete ldl cholesterol and triglyceride ranges in some however not all individuals (
15 ). - Could improve nutrient absorption. Some research counsel that prebiotics could assist improve the absorption of calcium, magnesium, and iron (
14 ,21 ). - Could cut back urge for food. Animal and human research counsel that prebiotics could improve ranges of hormones that sign fullness, thereby decreasing starvation (
22 ).
Though all these potential advantages are promising, analysis on them stays conflicting. Due to this fact, extra research are wanted earlier than researchers could make sturdy conclusions.
Abstract
Oligosaccharides have a number of potential well being advantages, although extra analysis is required on these. Potential advantages embody improved immunity, intestine well being, nutrient absorption, and reminiscence, and diminished urge for food and complete ldl cholesterol.
Oligosaccharides are typically thought of secure and freed from extreme negative effects.
That mentioned, the massive majority of oligosaccharides will ferment within the colon, which might trigger bloating, cramping, gasoline, or diarrhea in some individuals (
In case you are presently experiencing these signs, attempt decreasing the quantity or frequency of oligosaccharide-rich meals you eat and see in case your signs enhance (
A method of doing that is to observe a low-FODMAP diet, which comprises decrease quantities of oligosaccharides and different non-digestible short-chain carbohydrates that may trigger digestive points.
To reduce signs sooner or later, attempt rising the quantity of oligosaccharide-rich meals in your weight loss program steadily.
Summarize
Oligosaccharides are typically thought of secure however could cause bloating, cramping, gasoline, or diarrhea in some individuals. To reduce signs, improve your consumption of oligosaccharide-rich meals steadily.
Oligosaccharides are a sort of carbohydrate with prebiotic properties. Due to this, they could deliver well being advantages, akin to an improved digestion and intestine well being.
In addition they seem to extend the physique’s defence towards higher respiratory infections, eczema, and allergy symptoms, though extra analysis is required to analyze this and different potential advantages.
Understand that most oligosaccharides ferment within the colon, which can trigger bloating, gasoline, cramping, and diarrhea in some individuals.
To reduce your danger of experiencing these negative effects, you could need to improve your consumption of oligosaccharide-rich meals steadily moderately than abruptly.
