Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Carbohydrates in Human Nutrition

Carbohydrates in human nutrition are the dietary sugars, starches, and fibers that serve as the body's main source of energy. When digested, most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which fuels physical activity, brain function, and cellular metabolism, while indigestible carbohydrates such as dietary fiber …

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 61× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2379-7835

Overview

Carbohydrates in human nutrition are the dietary sugars, starches, and fibers that serve as the body's main source of energy. When digested, most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which fuels physical activity, brain function, and cellular metabolism, while indigestible carbohydrates such as dietary fiber contribute to digestive health and the regulation of blood sugar and cholesterol. Carbohydrates are classified by their structure into simple sugars and complex carbohydrates, and the type and amount consumed influence energy balance, glycemic response, and long-term health. Nutritional guidance emphasizes obtaining carbohydrates largely from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes rather than refined sugars, because the source affects nutrient density, fiber content, and metabolic impact. As a foundational topic in human nutrition, carbohydrates connect everyday dietary choices to outcomes including weight management, diabetes risk, and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health, and they are central to the study of balanced diets and dietary patterns. This page situates carbohydrates within the International Journal of Nutrition's broader coverage of diet, nutrient intake, metabolism, and health, and it gathers peer-reviewed, open-access research relevant to the role of carbohydrates in human nutrition and well-being.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2019

Culture and Mediterranean Diet

López M.T IglesiasCorresponding author
Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Faculty of Health Sciences, Spain
International Journal of Nutrition Cited by 12 doi:10.14302/issn.2379-7835.ijn-18-2272

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 61 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Nov 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Carbohydrates in Human Nutrition, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in International Journal of Nutrition (ISSN 2379-7835).

Journal editorial board
Christopher Ochner · United States Alicja Kuban-Jankowska · Poland Angel Catala · Argentina

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.