NANP Board Practice Exam

Which class of carbohydrates includes molecules like fructooligosaccharides, which are prebiotics?

1. Complex carbohydrates

2. Disaccharides

3. Oligosaccharides

4. Simple carbohydrates

The correct answer is: Complex carbohydrates

The correct answer is that fructooligosaccharides, which are prebiotics, belong to the class of oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are carbohydrate molecules made up of a small number of monosaccharides (typically 3 to 10), and they can have beneficial effects on gut health by serving as food for beneficial bacteria in the intestine. While complex carbohydrates is a broader category that includes oligosaccharides, starches, and fiber, oligosaccharides specifically refer to this smaller group of carbohydrates, highlighting their unique properties and health benefits. Hence, this classification of carbohydrates is crucial for understanding their role in nutrition and health, especially in the context of prebiotics. Disaccharides are carbohydrates made up of two monosaccharide units, such as sucrose and lactose, which do not have the prebiotic characteristics associated with oligosaccharides. Simple carbohydrates refer to monosaccharides and disaccharides and generally do not include oligosaccharides, which again emphasizes the specific role of oligosaccharides in gut health as prebiotics.