[Effects of dietary fiber on the glucose tolerance in spontaneously diabetic rats--comparison among barley, rice, and corn starch].
OBJECTIVE
In this study, the effects of a barley diet containing high dietary fiber on the onset and development of diabetes mellitus in spontaneously diabetic rats was investigated by comparing with a rice diet containing low dietary fiber and an alpha-corn starch diet containing very low dietary fiber.


METHODS
30 male Goto-Kakizaki (GK) strain rats (8 weeks of age) were randomly assigned to 3 groups; high barley (HB) group on a barley diet (dietary fiber intake, 1.79 g/day/rat), rice (R) group on a rice diet (dietary fiber intake, 0.46 g/day/rat), and alpha-corn starch (CS) group on an alpha-corn starch diet (dietary fiber intake, 0.24 g/day/rat). The carbohydrate (70%), fat (10%), and protein (20%) contents of these 3 diets were equal, and the rats were pair-fed each diet for 3 months.


RESULTS
Feeding for 3 months showed that fasting plasma glucose level in the HB group was significantly lower than in the R and CS groups; the glucose tolerance in the HB group was markedly improved. Moreover, the plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the HB group were significantly lower than those of the R and CS groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings demonstrated that barley enabled glycemic control and improved glucose tolerance compared with rice or alpha-corn starch.
Li
Jue
J
Department of Environmental Health, Medical University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Tamaho-cho, Nakakoma-gun, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan.
Kaneko
Takashi
T
Wang
Yuan
Y
Qin
Li-Qiang
LQ
Sato
Akio
A
D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D001467:Hordeum; D008297:Male; D012275:Oryza; D051381:Rats; D003313:Zea mays
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004043:Dietary Fiber