Acute effects of extruded pea fractions on glycemic response, insulin, appetite, and food intake in healthy young adults, results of a double-blind, randomized crossover trial

Abstract

Benefits of pulse consumption on glycemic control are well established; however, research examining the effects of pulse fractions incorporated into extruded products is limited. In a randomized, repeated-measures crossover study, adults (n = 26) consumed cereals made with oat flour (control), oat flour and pea starch (starch), oat flour and pea protein (protein), oat flour, pea starch and pea protein (starch+protein), oat flour, pea fibre and pea protein (fibre+protein), and pea fibre, pea starch and pea protein (fibre+starch+protein). Blood glucose (BG) and insulin concentrations, and appetite incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were calculated before (0–120 min) and after (120–200 min) the ad libitum meal for measurement of food intake. Pre-meal, overall mean BG and iAUC were lower following the protein, starch+protein, protein+fibre, and the fibre+starch+protein cereals compared with the starch and control. For pre-meal overall mean insulin concentrations, fibre+protein led to a lower response compared with control, starch+protein, and protein cereals. Fibre+starch+protein also led to lower insulin compared with protein cereal. Pre-meal insulin iAUC was lower following fibre+protein compared with control and protein cereals. The inclusion of yellow pea protein and fibre in oat-based breakfast cereal reduces postprandial glycemia; however this effect is dependent on fraction type. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02366572. Novelty: Inclusion of pulse protein and fibre in oat flour-based breakfast cereal reduces postprandial glucose response. The glycemic benefits of whole pulses are at least somewhat retained in some pulse fractions.