Family of macronutrients consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
Main energy-yielding nutrient.
Including: sugars, starch, glycogen, dextrin, available oligosaccharides, dietary fibers, polyols, and organic acids.
A distinction can be made between available carbohydrates and unavailable carbohydrates, depending on where they can be absorbed (small intestine vs. large intestine).
Often calculated “by difference”, i.e. after subtracting from total food mass: water, ash, fats, proteins, and alcohol.
It should be noted that this definition differs from that of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011: “any carbohydrate which is metabolised by humans, and includes polyols”. The latter excludes dietary fibers and organic acids, and is closer to the available carbohydrates, though with the addition of polyols. It is used in both Ciqual and Open Food Facts.