Erickson, Jennifer2017-11-272017-11-272017-06https://hdl.handle.net/11299/191364University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation.June 2017. Major: Nutrition. Advisor: Joanne Slavin. 1 computer file (PDF); xv, 183 pages.Consumer perception of carbohydrates is shifting, and not all carbohydrates are perceived in the same way. The 2016 Food and Health survey, conducted annually to assess factors impacting consumer food purchases, reveals that consumers are looking to increase their intake of certain carbohydrate foods, including whole grains, fiber and beans, while looking to decrease other carbohydrates sources, particularly added sugars. Additionally, there has been increased interest in diets low in rapidly fermenting carbohydrates (FODMAPs) for the improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms. Although all carbohydrates share the same basic chemical structure, different types of carbohydrates result in various physiological outcomes. This body of work explores the rationale for consumer perception of various types of carbohydrates and examines the validity of these claims.enThesis or Dissertation