Fruit form Influences Postprandial Glycemic Response in Elderly and Young Adults

Glycemic Responses of Milk and Plant-Based Drinks: Food Matrix Effects

The consumption of food items containing digestible carbohydrates in food products leads to postprandial increases in blood glucose levels and glycemic responses. The extent to which these occur depends on many factors, including concentration and type of carbohydrate, but also other physicochemical properties of the food matrix, which determine the rate of uptake of monosaccharides into the bloodstream, including product structure and factors affecting gastric emptying. For milk, control of postprandial glycemic responses appears to be multifaceted, including a controlled rate of gastric emptying, a rate of glucose and galactose uptake into the bloodstream controlled by enzymatic hydrolysis, as well as stimulated insulin secretion to enhance uptake of blood glucose from the bloodstream. Altogether, this allows milk to deliver comparatively high levels of carbohydrate with limited glycemic responses. For plant-based drinks positioned as milk alternatives, however, compositional differences (including carbohydrate type and concentration) as well as matrix factors limiting control over gastric emptying and insulin secretion can, in some cases, lead to much stronger glycemic responses, which are undesirable in relation to non-communicable diseases, such as type-2 diabetes. This review discusses glycemic responses to milk and plant-based drinks from this perspective, focusing on mechanistic insights and food matrix effects.

Micronutrient Profile and Carbohydrate Microstructure of Commercially Prepared and Home Prepared Infant Fruit and Vegetable Purees

Large variability exists in ingredient selection and preparation of home prepared infant purees and there is a lack of data on nutritional quality in comparison to commercially prepared purees. This work had two aims. Study 1 compared the nutritional value of commercially prepared and home prepared infant purees. Food profiles from national food composition databases were used as a proxy for home prepared puree and served as the benchmark for the commercially prepared infant purees. Study 2 focused on a subset of produce that underwent molecular weight analysis to determine differences in carbohydrate profiles. Eighty-eight percent of the measurable micronutrients fell within or above the home prepared norm range with micronutrients falling below the range explained by differences in soil and growing conditions. Physicochemical characterization showed similar carbohydrate profiles with >90% of the carbohydrate fraction in the water extract constituted by low molecular weight sugars for purees produced with home preparation and commercial preparation. The estimated glycemic load (eGL) showed comparable potential impact on blood sugar levels with all purees having a low eGL (<10 glucose equivalent). In conclusion, these data suggest that both preparations provide similar micronutrient density and carbohydrate profiles.

Culinary strategies to manage glycemic response in people with type 2 diabetes: A narrative review

Diet plays a critical role in the management of many chronic diseases. It is well known that individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D) need to pay close attention to foods rich in carbohydrates to better manage their blood sugar. Usually, individuals are told to increase their dietary fiber intake which is associated with better glycemic control and limit their overall carbohydrate consumption. However, there are many other cooking strategies available to reduce the glycemic response to meals rich in carbohydrates and with a high glycemic index, such as adding fats, proteins, or vinegar, modifying the cooking or preparation processes, and even the selection and storage of foods consumed. The aim of the present narrative review is to summarize some of these existing strategies applied to the cooking process and their ability to modulate glycemic response to meals in individuals with T2D.

The Impact of Nutrition-Based Interventions on Nutritional Status and Metabolic Health in Small Island Developing States: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis

Small island developing states (SIDS) have a high burden of nutrition-related disease associated with nutrient-poor, energy-dense diets. In response to these issues, we assessed the effectiveness of nutrition-based interventions on nutritional status (under-nutrition) and metabolic health (over-nutrition) among persons in SIDS. We included SIDS-based nutrition studies with change in nutrition status (e.g., markers of anaemia) or metabolic status (e.g., markers of glycaemia) as outcomes. The PRISMA framework was applied and MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, OARE library, Web of Science, Scopus, ASSIA, EconLit, AGORA, AGRICOLA, AGRIS, WHO-EMRO, and LILACS were searched (2000−2020). Cochrane risk of bias (ROB) and Cochrane ROBINS-I tools assessed ROB for randomised and non-randomised studies, respectively. PROSPERO registration (CRD42021236396) was undertaken. We included 50 eligible interventions, involving 37,591 participants: 14 trials reported on nutritional status, 36 on metabolic health. Effective interventions, evaluated at the individual level, took a multifaceted approach for metabolic outcomes; while nutrition outcomes utilised supplements. Most intervention types were suitable for issues related to ‘over’ nutrition versus ‘under’ nutrition. Twenty-six studies (nutrition status (six); metabolic health (twenty)) were effective (p < 0.05). With the current rise of nutrition-related public health challenges, there is a need for further development and evaluation of these and related interventions at the population level.

A glycaemic index compendium of non-western foods

Current international tables published on the glycaemic index (GI) of foods represent valuable resources for researchers and clinicians. However, the vast majority of published GI values are of Western origin, notably European, Australian and North American. Since these tables focus on Western foods with minimal inclusion of other foods from non-Western countries, their application is of limited global use. The objective of this review is to provide the GI values for a variety of foods that are consumed in non-Western countries. Our review extends and expands on the current GI tables in an attempt to widen its application in many other regions of the world.

Postprandial Glycemic and Insulinemic Effects of the Addition of Aqueous Extracts of Dried Corn Silk, Cumin Seed Powder or Tamarind Pulp, in Two Forms, Consumed with High Glycemic Index Rice

Several plant-based traditional ingredients in Asia are anecdotally used for preventing and/or treating type 2 diabetes. We investigated three such widely consumed ingredients, namely corn silk (CS), cumin (CU), and tamarind (TA). The aim of the study was to determine the effects of aqueous extracts of these ingredients consumed either as a drink (D) with high-glycemic-index rice or added to the same amount of rice during cooking (R) on postprandial glycemia (PPG), insulinemia (PPI), and blood pressure (BP), over a 3 h measurement period. Eighteen healthy Chinese men (aged 37.5 ± 12.5 years, BMI 21.8 ± 1.67 kg/m²) took part in a randomized crossover trial, each completing up to nine sessions. Compared to the control meal (plain rice + plain water), the addition of test extracts in either form did not modulate PPG, PPI, or BP. However, the extracts when added within rice while cooking gave rise to significantly lower PPI than when consumed as a drink (p < 0.01). Therefore, the form of consumption of phytochemical-rich ingredients can differentially modulate glucose homeostasis. This study also highlights the need for undertaking randomized controlled clinical trials with traditional foods/components before claims are made on their specific health effects.

Southern Brazilian native fruit shows neurochemical, metabolic and behavioral benefits in an animal model of metabolic syndrome

In this work, we evaluated the effects of Psidium cattleianum (Red Type) (PcRT) fruit extract on metabolic, behavioral, and neurochemical parameters in rats fed with a highly palatable diet (HPD) consisted of sucrose (65% carbohydrates being 34% from condensed milk, 8% from sucrose and 23% from starch, 25% protein and 10% fat). Animals were divided into 4 groups: standard chow, standard chow + PcRT extract (200 mg/Kg/day by gavage), HPD, HPD + extract. The animals were treated for 150 days. Concerning chemical profiling, LC/PDA/MS/MS analysis revealed cyanidin-3-O-glucoside as the only anthocyanin in the PcRT extract. Our results showed that the animals exposed to HPD presented glucose intolerance, increased weight gain and visceral fat, as well as higher serum levels of glucose, triacylglycerol, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and interleukin-6. These alterations were prevented by PcRT. In addition, HPD caused an increase in immobility time in a forced swimming test and the fruit extract prevented this alteration, indicating an antidepressant-like effect. PcRT treatment also prevented increased acetylcholinesterase activity in the prefrontal cortex caused by HPD consumption. Moreover, PcRT extract was able to restore Ca²⁺-ATPase activity in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum, as well as Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase activity in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. PcRT treatment decreased thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, nitrite, and reactive oxygen species levels and prevented the reduction of superoxide dismutase activity in all cerebral structures of the HPD group. Additionally, HPD decreased catalase in the hippocampus and striatum. However, the extract prevented this change in the hippocampus. Our results showed that this berry extract has antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects, and neuroprotective properties, proving to be a potential therapeutic agent for individuals with metabolic syndrome.