Carbohydrates and Nutrigenetics

Abstract Carbohydrates are an important source of energy whose intake is influenced by metabolic, neuronal, and genetic factors. High interindividual differences in response to carbohydrates are genotype dependent as numerous gene polymorphisms have been described affecting from the appetite to sweet perception or obesity susceptibility. Furthermore, the expression of highly relevant genes has shown to be modulated by carbohydrate consumption. In this chapter an overview of the investigation in nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics of carbohydrates is presented as well as a summary of the most relevant applications and achievements in this research area. This knowledge could be of special interest in tailoring the carbohydrate composition of diets to improve wellness and going further to prevent diseases or act as an adjuvant treatment in a personalized way.