Hypoglycemic Effects and Mechanisms of Buckwheat–Oat–Pea Composite Flour in Diabetic Rats

Abstract

Nutritional intervention is a basic way to prevent and treat diabetes mellitus. Appropriate whole grain intake daily is recommended. The study aimed to explore the feasibility of a kind of buckwheat–oat–pea composite flour (BOP, quality ratio of buckwheat:oats:peas = 6:1:1) as a stable food substitution and its underlying mechanisms. High-fat food (HFD) and streptozotocin injection were used to induce diabetes in rats, and buckwheat, oats, and three different doses of BOP were added to the HFD separately for diet intervention. The whole study lasted for 10 weeks, and the glucose tolerance test, lipids, liver injury, and gut microbiota were evaluated in the last week. The diabetic rat model was successfully induced. The BOP significantly changed the glucose and lipids metabolism, decreased liver injury, and changed the composition of the gut microbiota of diabetic rats. The outcomes of the current study revealed that BOP is a potential stable food substitution.