A low-glycemic available carbohydrate composition of the invention contains the following components: (i) 5-60 wt. % of one or more monosaccharides selected from monosaccharides other than glucose and fructose, in particular galactose, ribose and mannose; (ii) 10-75 wt.% of oligosaccharides having a length of 2 to 20 anhydromonose units, at least half of which are anhydroglucose units linked at their alpha-1-position to the 1-, 3-, 5- or 6-position of another anhydromonose unit; (iii) 0-75 wt.% of other available carbohydrates and is used for treating diabetes, obesitas, insulin resistance, or for postprandial glucose response .