METHODS FOR IMPROVING THE GASTROINTESTINAL TOLERANCE OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCTS COMPRISING SWEET, LOW-DIGESTIBLE CARBOHYDRATES

1 . A method for improving the gastrointestinal tolerance of a food or beverage product comprising a sweet, low-digestible carbohydrate, wherein the method comprises incorporating one or more of D-glucose, fiber and protein into the food or beverage product.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sweet, low-digestible carbohydrate is one or more selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, maltitol, isomalt, isomaltulose, erythritol, xylitol, D- and L-allose, D-and L-tagatose, lactose, melezitose, D- and L-arabinose, L-fructose, L-glucose and D- and L-allulose.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber is one or more of beta-glucan and polydextrose.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises incorporating D-glucose into the food or beverage product.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises incorporating beta-glucan into the food or beverage product.

6 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises incorporating polydextrose into the food or beverage product.

7 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the sweet, low-digestible carbohydrate is present in the food or beverage product in a weight ratio to D-glucose of from about 0.5:1 to about 10:1.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the sweet, low-digestible carbohydrate is present in the food or beverage product in a weight ratio to D-glucose of from about 1:1 to about 3:1.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises incorporating fiber into the food or beverage product.

10 . The method according to any one of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises incorporating beta-glucan into the food or beverage product.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises incorporating polydextrose into the food or beverage product.

12 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the beta-glucan is oat beta-glucan.

13 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the beta-glucan is in the form of a fraction rich in soluble dietary fibers containing at least about 20% and up to about 40% beta-glucan (on a dry weight basis) of mean molecular weight of at least about 800 kDa.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the beta-glucan is in the form of a fraction rich in soluble dietary fibers containing about 35% (on a dry weight basis) of mean molecular weight of at least about 800 kDa.

15 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the beta-glucan is present in an amount between about 0.5 g and about 6 g per labeled serving of the food or beverage product.

16 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the beta-glucan is present in an amount of about 0.01% by weight to about 20% by weight with respect to the total weight of the food or beverage product

17 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises incorporating polydextrose into the food or beverage product.

18 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the polydextrose is present in an amount of about 0.1% by weight about 80% by weight with respect to the total weight of the food or beverage product.

19 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the polydextrose is present in an amount of about 0.1 g to about 40 g per labeled serving of the food or beverage product.

20 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises incorporating protein into the food or beverage product.

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . (canceled)

24 . (canceled)

25 . (canceled)

26 . (canceled)