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Featured Papers on Dietary Carbohydrates and Human Health

A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Carbohydrates".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2026 | Viewed by 1372

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Barcelona, CIBERobn, IBUB, Avda. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: lipid and sugar metabolism; insulin resistance; experimental nutrition and pharmacology (rodent and cell culture models); MASLD; simple sugars; fructose; dyslipidemia; nuclear receptors; fatty acids; lipoproteins

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: nuclear receptors and energy metabolism; metabolic alterations associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD); the impact of carbohidrates, such as fructose, and high-fat diets on hepatic lipid accumulation; drug repurposing for the treatment of liver diseases

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: the mechanisms underlying metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD/NAFLD); the impact of dietary factors such as fructose and high-fat diets on hepatic lipid accumulation; the broader metabolic disturbances associated with fatty liver disease

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current Feature Paper Special Issue addresses key emerging topics in carbohydrate research across preclinical, translational, and clinical domains. These include the following:

  1. Assessment of dietary carbohydrate quality, with a focus on distinguishing between whole grains, fibre-rich foods, and foods high in free or added sugars. Researchers are developing novel metrics to better evaluate carbohydrate quality and its impact on chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, MASLD, and cardiovascular disease.
  2. Health effects of added and free sugars, particularly in relation to their contribution to cardiometabolic risk, public health policy, and food reformulation strategies.
  3. Fibre and prebiotics, a field under active investigation for its role in gut health and disease prevention, with growing interest in functional carbohydrates that promote beneficial gut microbiota.
  4. Carbohydrate-restricted diets and their long-term health effects, especially concerning fat intake and personalised nutrition approaches.
  5. Clinical relevance of glycaemic index and glycaemic load remains a topic of debate, with mixed evidence regarding their effectiveness in preventing metabolic diseases. There is also increasing interest in plant-based, low-glycaemic carbohydrate sources and the application of machine learning to enhance dietary surveillance and food composition databases.

High-quality original research manuscripts, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses, are welcomed for submission.

Prof. Dr. Juan Carlos Laguna
Prof. Dr. Nuria Roglans
Prof. Dr. Marta Alegret
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • carbohydrate quality
  • cardiometabolic risk
  • simple sugars
  • functional carbohydrates
  • glycaemic index
  • glycaemic load
  • carbohydrate-restricted diet

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 481 KB  
Article
Effects of Extended-Release Cornstarch Supplementation on Glycemic Stability and Metabolic Parameters in Korean Patients with Glycogen Storage Disease
by Jungyun Han, Minjy Kim, Na Yeon Lee and Yunkoo Kang
Nutrients 2026, 18(7), 1094; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071094 - 29 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Patients with hepatic glycogen storage disease (GSD) require frequent nighttime intake of uncooked corn starch (UCCS) to prevent fasting hypoglycemia, which imposes a substantial burden. Glycosade, an extended-release cornstarch, was developed to prolong overnight glucose availability. However, data regarding South Korean patients [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Patients with hepatic glycogen storage disease (GSD) require frequent nighttime intake of uncooked corn starch (UCCS) to prevent fasting hypoglycemia, which imposes a substantial burden. Glycosade, an extended-release cornstarch, was developed to prolong overnight glucose availability. However, data regarding South Korean patients are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Glycosade in South Korean patients with hepatic GSD. Methods: In this single-center prospective observational study, patients with hepatic GSD underwent laboratory evaluations before and 1 month after Glycosade administration. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was performed during UCCS and Glycosade administration periods. The nocturnal mean glucose, coefficient of variation, time in range (70–180 mg/dL), and time below the range (<70 and <54 mg/dL) were compared between the periods using paired analyses. Results: No significant differences were observed in the nocturnal CGM metrics between the treatment periods. However, time-aligned CGM profiles revealed distinct temporal patterns, with a decline in glucose levels approximately 3–4 h after UCCS intake, whereas Glycosade showed a more sustained glucose profile over an extended period. Liver enzyme and lipid levels improved significantly after 1 month of Glycosade supplementation. Conclusions: In a cohort of South Korean patients with hepatic GSD, Glycosade maintained nocturnal glycemic stability comparable to that of conventional cornstarch without increasing the risk of hypoglycemia. Glycosade was also associated with improved biochemical parameters, supporting its role in nighttime dietary management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Papers on Dietary Carbohydrates and Human Health)
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Review

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24 pages, 1740 KB  
Review
A Narrative Review on Pseudocereals and Cardiometabolic Health: Biological Mechanisms and Evidence from Human Studies
by Yesim Oztekin and Zehra Buyuktuncer
Nutrients 2026, 18(7), 1093; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18071093 - 29 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Demand for functional foods is growing due to the desire to prevent cardiometabolic disorders. Pseudocereals, particularly quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth, stand out for their functional properties related to cardiometabolic health. The dietary fiber, plant proteins, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in pseudocereals [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Demand for functional foods is growing due to the desire to prevent cardiometabolic disorders. Pseudocereals, particularly quinoa, buckwheat, and amaranth, stand out for their functional properties related to cardiometabolic health. The dietary fiber, plant proteins, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals in pseudocereals primarily help to regulate glycemic response and lipid profile, as well as blood pressure. The aim of this review is to briefly explain the role of pseudocereals in biological mechanisms underlying cardiometabolic effects and evaluate the findings of human studies. Methods: The biological mechanisms that emphasize potential cardiometabolic effects of pseudocereals were summarized based on preclinical studies. Human studies were searched on Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect between June and December 2025. Findings of human studies on potential cardiometabolic health benefits of pseudocereals, including their anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hyperglycemic, anti-obesity, and anti-hypertensive effects, are discussed. Results: The revealed mechanisms in preclinical studies and current outcomes of thirty-three human studies included in this review indicated that pseudocereals, especially quinoa and buckwheat, might be a part of healthy nutrition to assist the prevention and management of cardiometabolic disorders. In human studies, the most notable improvements were reported in plasma triglyceride and total cholesterol levels. Nevertheless, the number of human studies is limited, and existing studies have methodological variations to state cumulative and evidence-based consumption recommendations. Conclusions: Despite the potential protective effects of pseudocereals on cardiometabolic health, well-designed, controlled human studies are needed to elucidate the outcomes and provide clear evidence of the role of pseudocereals in relation to cardiometabolic effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Featured Papers on Dietary Carbohydrates and Human Health)
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