A carbohydrate mixture for dietetic foods and pharmaceuticals containing several carbohydrates is provided according to the present invention. Said carbohydrate mixture is characterized in that they contain or consist of two different, substantially soluble carbohydrate components A and B, which remain undigested in the gastrointestinal tract and enter the large intestine without being resorbed, that said carbohydrate component A is composed of at least one monosaccharide or of at least one oligosaccharide (disaccharide to hexasaccharide) or of a mixture of two or more of these saccharides, that the carbohydrate component B is composed of a polysaccharide (from heptasaccharide onwards) or of a mixture of two or more polysaccharides, that the carbohydrate component A=5 to 95 wt-% and the carbohydrate component B=5 to 95 wt-% of the sum of the carbohydrate components A+B (=100 wt-%), and that at least 80 wt-% of the carbohydrates/saccharides of the carbohydrate components A and B have a prebiotic effect. The inventive carbohydrate mixture have not only a nutritive effect but they also stimulate health-promoting microorganisms present in the natural flora of the large intestine.