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Vegetable carbohydrates in human food. Preventive, prophylactic and epidemiological aspects

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Abstract

The composition of carbohydrates from 90 Danish vegetable foods has been determined by agronomist H. Englyst in the Institute of Hygiene, University of Aarhus, Denmark. The analyses are based on Southgate's method, modified and supplemented with gas chromatography (D.A.T. Southgate, G.J. Hudson & H. Englyst ‘The analysis of Dietary Fiber—The Choices for the Analyst’, J. Sci. Fd. Agric 1978). Results have been converted to contents per 100 gram food product (P. Helms & H. Englyst ‘Kulhydratsammensaetningen i vegetabilske fødevarer’, Husholdningsraadets Tekn. Medd. 1978/18; 3 p. 14) and transferred to magnetic cards as data-basis for a COMPUCORPR calculator, which has been used in calculating the food consumption of households. Farmers' organizations in Denmark have made food surveys regularly since 1927, and from their archieves the consumption of vegetable carbohydrates during the years 1927–1977 will be presented. The appended table gives average values from two epochs, one before and one after the world war II.

The figures illustrate known facts: that carbohydrate consumption has declined, and that the reduction is most pronounced for fiber-rich natural carbohydrate foods, whole-meal bread and potatoes.

The role of carbohydrates, especially the undigestible fractions will be discussed from preventive and prophylactic aspects.

Prevention is defined as intervention directed against specified diseases, e.g. constipation. Prophylaxis is used as a designation for measures aimed at an undefinable raising of the general resistance against environmental challenges. Epidemiological experiences will be taken into account, and consequences of possible modifications in processing and comsumption of vegetable carbohydrate foods will be evaluated.

Zusammenfassung

Die Zusammensetzung der Kohlehydrate von 90 Dänischen Nahrungspflanzen wurde von dem Agronomen H. Englyst vom Institut für Hygiene der Universität Aarhus, Dänemark, bestimmt, Die Analysen erfolgten nach der Southgate-Methode, modifiziert und ergänzt durch Gaschromatographie (D.A.T. Southgate, G.J. Hudson & H. Englyst “The Analysis of Dietary Fiber—The Choices for the Analyst’, J. Sci. Fd. Agric. 1978). Die Ergebnisse wurden auf 100 Gramm des jeweiligen Produkts bezogen (P. Helms & H. Englyst ‘Kulhydratsammensætnigen i vegetabliske fødervarer’, Husholdningsraadets Tekn. Medd. 1978/18; 3 p. 14) und auf Magnetkarten als Daten-Basis für einen COMPUCORP®—Rechner übertragen, der für die Berechnung des Nahrungsmittel-Verbrauchs in Haushalten Verwendung fand. Seit 1927 haben in Dänemark landwirtschaftliche Verbände regelmäßig den Nahrungsmittelverbrauch beobachtet; aus diesen Archiven wird der Verbrauch an Kohlenhydraten—pflanzlicher Herkunft—während der Jahre 1927–1977 zusammengefaßt und vorgestellt. Die beigefügte Tabelle gibt Durchschnittswerte zweier Zeitabschnitte wieder: Vor und nach dem 2. Weltkrieg.

Aus der Tabelle ergeben sich bereits bekannte Tatsachen, nämlich, daß der Verzehr von Kohlenhydraten abgenomen hat und daß dieser Rückgang überwiegend zu Lasten faserreicher natürlicher kohlenhydrathaltiger Nahrungsmittel geht, z. B. Vollkornbrot und Kartoffeln.

Es wirdt die Bedeutung der Kohlenhydrate diskutiert, besonders ihrer unverdaulichen Fraktionen unter präventiven und prophylaktischen Aspekten. ‘Vorbeugung’ wird definiert als gezielter Eingriff gegen spezifische Erkrankungen, z. B. Verstopfungen. Der Begriff ‘Prophylaxe’ gilt für Maßnahmen, die einem unerklärlichen Nachlassen der algemeinen Widerstandsfähigkeit begegnen sollen. Epidemiologische Untersuchungen werden einer Betrachtung unterzogen und Folgerungen für mögliche Verbesserumgen im Hinblick auf Verarbeitung und Verzehr pflanzlicher Kohlenhydrate erörtert.

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  1. Hygiejnsk Institut, Aarhus Universitet, Iniversitetsparken, DK, 8000, Aarhus, C/Danmark

    P. Helms

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Helms, P. Vegetable carbohydrates in human food. Preventive, prophylactic and epidemiological aspects. Plant Food Hum Nutr 29, 95–108 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02590269

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