With respect to the choice of carbohydrates, osmolality, nutritional
contribution, sensory attributes and cost are the main determinants
of the type and level of carbohydrate used in nutritional
beverage formulations. Starch hydrolysis product-based carbohydrates
consist of different chain length glucose polymers and provide
many benefits in the formulation of protein-carbohydrate
beverages; for example on an equal contribution to caloric density,
high chain length glucose polymers (e.g., maltodextrins) contribute
to lower osmolality, sweetness and cost, compared with low chain
length glucose polymers (e.g., glucose) (Marchal, Beeftink, &
Tramper, 1999