The following is an edited excerpt.
We need protein, fat and carbohydrates – there is no way around that. But does the form that these nutrients take really matter? Yes, it does. Carbohydrates differ in their digestibility, and therefore in their healthiness. Scientists at Aarhus University have developed a method which they have used to produce a unique type of barley containing only the healthy form of carbohydrate.
The most common form of carbohydrate in our food is starch, which is the main ingredient in bread, pasta and potatoes. However, not all forms of starch are healthy. The easily digestible type contains primarily amylopectin. This is rapidly broken down in the gut and assimilated into the bloodstream as sugar. High levels of blood sugar may lead to obesity and diabetes.
Read the full press release here: Gene switch-off produces healthier carbohydrates
