Effects of breakfast cereals containing various amounts of beta-glucan fibers on plasma glucose and insulin responses in NIDDM subjects.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether increasing doses (amounts) of beta-glucan present in an extruded breakfast cereal affect the glycemic and insulinemic responses in eight NIDDM subjects, compared with the same responses after a continental breakfast (bread, milk, cheese, ham).


METHODS
Breakfast cereals were produced using various proportions of oat bran enriched in fiber, which contain an unusually high amount of a viscous polysaccharide, called beta-glucan, and oat bran. The carbohydrate load was 35 g.


RESULTS
The maximum increases observed in plasma glucose after the breakfast cereal were 67% (P < 0.05), 42% (P < 0.001), and 38% (P < 0.001) with 4.0, 6.0, and 8.4 g beta-glucan, respectively, compared with the continental breakfast. There was a linear inverse relationship between dose of beta-glucan and plasma glucose peak or area under the glucose curve (R2 = 0.94, P < 0.05). Postprandial insulin increase was only 59-67% (P < 0.01) as high as the continental breakfast after all three levels of beta-glucan.


CONCLUSIONS
The 50% decrease in glycemic response that was observed after the ingestion of 35 g carbohydrate is estimated to occur with approximately 5 g beta-glucan. This dose of beta-glucan can easily be attained without the loss of taste by incorporating oat bran concentrate in products.
Tappy
L
L
Polyclinique Médicale Universitaire, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Gügolz
E
E
Würsch
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018554:Avena; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005260:Female; D005936:Glucans; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005936:Glucans; D007328:Insulin