Effect of sorghum intake on postprandial blood glucose levels: A randomized, double-blind, crossover study

Abstract

Background: Sorghum is consumed in Africa, North and South America, India, and other parts of the world, but it is one of several millets in Japan, and its physiological function for Japanese is not well known. In this study, we examined the effect of sorghum on postprandial blood glucose levels in healthy Japanese.Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of sorghum intake on postprandial blood glucose in healthy adults. Methods: A double-blind crossover study was done on 17 healthy adult men and women recruited from the general population. After an early morning fasting blood glucose test, a placebo or sorghum porridge was administered and blood glucose levels were measured at 30, 60, and 120 minutes after the first washout period. Result: At 60 and 120 minutes after intake, the blood glucose level of people who were administered sorghum porridge was significantly lower than that of those who were administered the placebo. The area under the blood glucose curve was also significantly lower for the test product than for the placebo. Conclusion: Sorghum consumption can suppress the increase in postprandial blood glucose, suggesting that sorghum is useful in preventing the development of diabetes mellitus.Trial registration: UMIN-CTR: UMIN000046235Keywords: Sorghum, blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose