Carbohydrate system and a method for providing nutrition to a diabetic

Abstract

The two component carbohydrate mixture of this invention utilizes a source of fructose in combination with at least one readily digestible glucose polymer source. The addition of the fructose significantly decreases the glycemic response when compared to the digestible glucose polymer alone. Additional components may be added to the simple two component carbohydrate mixture to form a carbohydrate system suitable for incorporation into an enteral nutritional. This carbohydrate system optionally incorporates nonabsorbent carbohydrates, dietary fiber and indigestible oligosaccharides. The present invention is also directed to an enteral nutritional which incorporates the two component carbohydrate mixture and less than 37% of calories from fat. Additionally, the invention is directed to a method of delivering nutrients to a person with diabetes by feeding the enteral nutritional.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for providing nutrition to an individual with diabetes comprising enterally administering a liquid nutritional product comprising: 
 a) total carbohydrate from about 25% to about 55% of the total calories of the product, wherein said carbohydrate comprises a digestible glucose polymer to fructose wt/wt ratio from about 19:1 to about 1:1, and wherein from about 1 wt/wt % to about 20 wt/wt % of the total carbohydrate is nonabsorbent carbohydrates, and    b) a source of protein from about 10% to about 35% of the total calories of the product.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said total carbohydrate further comprises less than about 17 wt/wt % of the total carbohydrate as dietary fiber selected from the group consisting of soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, fermentable fiber, non-fermentable fiber and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein said total carbohydrate further comprises less than about 20 wt/wt % of the total carbohydrate as indigestible oligosaccharides.