Effect of an alcohol-free beer enriched with isomaltulose and a resistant dextrin on insulin resistance in diabetic patients with overweight or obesity

Mechanisms of starchy foods glycemic index reduction under different means and their impacts on food sensory qualities: A review

Diabetes has become a significant global health issue, driving the adoption of low glycemic index (GI) diets and positioning low-GI foods as a key research focus. Although methods for lowering the GI of foods have been reviewed, a comprehensive analysis of the underlying mechanisms is lacking. Moreover, GI-lowering techniques, whether through exogenous additives or specific processing methods, can influence food sensory qualities and impact storage stability. However, systematic reviews on these effects are limited. This review summarizes mechanisms for reducing the GI of starchy foods, focusing on four key strategies: inhibiting digestive enzymes, altering substrate structure, blocking enzyme-substrate interactions, and stimulating insulin secretion. It also addresses the sensory impacts of these GI-reduction methods. Additionally, the review evaluates how certain nutrient additions affect food stability during storage, aiming to offer scientific guidance for the development of low-GI starchy foods.

Biochemical and histological effects of the subchronic treatment with a beer containing Baccharis dracunculifolia in an experimental model of diabetes

This article reports the development of a beer made with Baccharis dracunculifolia and its application in an experimental model of diabetes. Initially, the production of the beverage was standardized in order to incorporate the plant extract properly. Next, the beer was analyzed by the UHPLC-MS to identify the substances present. Among others, caffeic acid (5.85 mg / L), m-coumaric acid (5.16 mg / L), pinocembrin (2.99 mg / L), chrysin (10.86 mg / L), myricetin (1.73 mg / L) and spathulenol (9.30 mg / L) were found. Animal tests indicate improvement in biochemical and histological parameters of STZ-induced Wistar rats that ingested the beer made with the plant. The antidiabetic potential of this beverage was observed in the different tests that evaluated insulin resistance and the decrease of the clinical manifestations of diabetes in animals. The use of the drink as an adjunct in clinical treatments for DM2 may be useful, especially in suppressing the oxidative damage caused by the disease.

Black Tea drinks with inulin and dextrin reduced postprandial plasma glucose fluctuations in patients with type 2 diabetes: an acute, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind crossover study

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the effects of black tea drinks with inulin and dextrin (BTID) on postprandial plasma glucose (PG) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

METHODS

An acute, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial was carried out on T2DM patients. The subjects were randomly assigned to groups consuming placebo black tea powder or BTID (identically packaged) followed by a mixed meal tolerance test (MMTT). Afterwards, individuals who initially consumed BTID were given the placebo and those who initially consumed the placebo were given BTID.

RESULTS

A total of 35 patients were included in the study, and 32 completed the study. Compared to placebo, BTID significantly reduced the change in glycaemia at 30 min, 1, 2, and 3 h during the MMTT. In the analysis of PG fluctuations at 2 h during the MMTT, the proportion of patients with minor PG fluctuations (< 2.8 mmol/L) in the BTID group was 53.1%, significantly higher than the 28.1% in the placebo group. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of significant PG fluctuations decreased by 65.5% after consuming BTID, with a corresponding odds ratio of 0.345 (P = 0.044, 95% CI 0.122-0.974). In addition, the areas under the curve for PG and insulin secretion after BTID administration were significantly smaller than that for placebo.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to placebo, BTID significantly reduced the change in PG levels during the MMTT and decreased the risk of large PG fluctuations by 65.5%. These effects were associated to a significant reduction in postprandial insulin secretion and may help to improved insulin sensitivity and a lower β-cell burden.

Koji amazake produced by double saccharification contains more isomaltose and modifies the gut microbiota in mice

Koji amazake, which is made from rice and rice koji (a product of Aspergillus oryzae), is a traditional Japanese beverage that has glucose as its main component. It also contains isomaltose, which has been reported to have various functionalities related to gut health. In the present study, we attempted to produce amazake with a higher concentration of isomaltose without using any additives by focusing on the saccharification step of rice koji production as a means of creating new value for amazake. Two types of rice koji that were obtained at different fermentation time points were used, and we changed the saccharification process from the usual one step of saccharification to two steps of saccharification using a different type of rice koji for each step. The amazake made by double saccharification (DSA) contained 20 times more isomaltose than the commercial amazake products. In an in vivo study, oral administration of the DSA modified the cecal microbiota in mice. Moreover, changes were seen in the abundances of several gut microorganisms, such as Anaerotignum lactatifermentans, Muribaculum intestinale, and Parabacteroides merdae. These findings indicate that our novel method may be useful for producing amazake with a high isomaltose content that may have health benefits in humans.

Physiological Mechanisms by Which the Functional Ingredients in Beer Impact Human Health

Nutritional therapy, for example through beer, is the best solution to human chronic diseases. In this article, we demonstrate the physiological mechanisms of the functional ingredients in beer with health-promoting effects, based on the PubMed, Google, CNKI, and ISI Web of Science databases, published from 1997 to 2024. Beer, a complex of barley malt and hops, is rich in functional ingredients. The health effects of beer against 26 chronic diseases are highly similar to those of barley due to the physiological mechanisms of polyphenols (phenolic acids, flavonoids), melatonin, minerals, bitter acids, vitamins, and peptides. Functional beer with low purine and high active ingredients made from pure barley malt, as well as an additional functional food, represents an important development direction, specifically, ginger beer, ginseng beer, and coix-lily beer, as consumed by our ancestors ca. 9000 years ago. Low-purine beer can be produced via enzymatic and biological degradation and adsorption of purines, as well as dandelion addition. Therefore, this review paper not only reveals the physiological mechanisms of beer in overcoming chronic human diseases, but also provides a scientific basis for the development of functional beer with health-promoting effects.

Comparative efficacy and safety of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for type 2 diabetes management: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

AIMS

To compare the effects of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for type 2 diabetes (T2D) management.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL, and grey literature sources to December 2022 for randomized trials of the impacts of probiotics, prebiotics, or synbiotics in patients with T2D. We performed network meta-analyses with a Bayesian framework to calculate mean difference [MD] and 95 % credible interval [CrI] and rated the certainty of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

RESULTS

68 randomised trials were included. All results are presented in comparison to the placebo. Supplementation with probiotics (MD: -0.25 %, 95%CrI: -0.42, -0.08; GRADE = moderate) and synbiotics (MD: -0.31 %, 95%CrI: -0.61, -0.04; GRADE = very low) resulted in a trivial/unimportant decrease in glycated hemoglobin. Supplementation with probiotics (MD: -0.69 mmol/L, 95%CrI: -0.98, -0.40; GRADE = very low) and synbiotics (MD: -0.82 mmol/L, 95%CrI: -1.22, -0.43; GRADE = very low) resulted in a trivial/unimportant decrease in fasting plasma glucose. Supplementation with probiotics resulted in a small but important decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD: -0.19 mmol/L; 95%CrI: -0.34, -0.05; GRADE = very low). Supplementations had moderate effects on serum triglyceride (GRADE = low).

CONCLUSIONS

Existing evidence is uncertain and does not support supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for T2D management.

The Health Effects of Low Glycemic Index and Low Glycemic Load Interventions on Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Literature Review of RCTs

Diets with a low glycemic index (GI) and a low glycemic load (GL) can improve glycemic control, blood lipids, blood pressure and BMI in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), but evidence regarding other aspects of cardiometabolic health is limited. We searched the literature for RCTs published from 2013 to 2023 and reviewed the evidence on low-GI/GL diets and their effects on different aspects of health in prediabetes and T2DM, aiming to build a report on all relevant outcomes included in the studies. We included 14 RCTs with 1055 participants, who were mostly middle-aged individuals with T2DM. Interventions were mostly low GI and lasted 1-36 months. Low-GI/GL foods and diets showed benefits in terms of short-term glycemic control, weight and adiposity. Longer-term trials would be necessary to determine whether these benefits persist over time and/or lead to lower CVD risk and mortality. Effects on lipid profile were inconsistent. Some studies also reported positive effects of low-GI/GL interventions on blood pressure, inflammatory biomarkers, renal function and gut microbiota composition. Future trials should focus on some of these novel outcome measures, which may provide important insights into the metabolic effects of low-GI diets on individuals with diabetes.

Benefits of Fiber-Enriched Foods on Satiety and Parameters of Human Well-Being in Adults with and without Cardiometabolic Risk

Consumption of fiber-rich foods is linked to beneficial effects on chronic diseases and gut health, while implications towards improving satiety and parameters of well-being remain unclear. A randomized placebo-controlled intervention study was conducted to compare the effects of fiber-enriched foods to their non-enriched counterparts in adults over a 12-week period on selected clinical parameters-satiety, quality of life, body sensation, and life satisfaction-subjective health status, and importance of diet for well-being. Quality of life (QOL) differed significantly between intervention and control groups at baseline, throughout, and at the end of the study. No effects on satiety, satisfaction with life, or the importance of diet for well-being could be shown between groups. With higher fiber intake, body sensation ratings increased. A higher BMI was significantly associated with lower-body sensation, subjective health status and quality of life. Fiber-enriched foods do not seem to affect feeling of satiety or parameters of well-being. Larger samples and additional methods are necessary to fully explore the effect of increased fiber intake on patient-related outcomes in more detail.

Interactions between structure and function of resistant glucans for alleviating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications in mice

Resistant glucan, a functional dietary fiber, has been shown to alleviate type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications in clinical studies. However, the interactions between the special structure of resistant glucan and the metabolism-related pathways in T2DM have not yet been systematically studied. This study identified the structural differences between resistant glucans prepared by new and old methods. Oral gavage with two resistant glucans in T2DM mice, led to significant improvements in glucose and lipid metabolism as measured by related indicators (including gut microbiota, fecal metabolites, and physiological and biochemical indexes). According to these results, in addition to van der Waals forces, micelle formation, and hydrogen bonding, the branching structures of resistant glucans produced more hydroxyl, carbonyl, and keto groups that linked cholesterols, cholesterol esters, and low-density lipoprotein intermediates. Moreover, after lipid clearing, the metabolic environment was more conducive to the proliferation of specific gut microbiota (including Phascolarctobacterium, Prevotella, Butyricicoccus, Weissella, and Anaerostipes) with decreasing abundance ratios of Firmicutes and Bacteroides. This facilitated the synthesis of high-density lipoprotein, conversion of cholesterol into coprostanol, and production of short-chain fatty acids and bile acids. Our findings provide a foundation for comprehensive investigation of the structure of resistant glucan in the promotion and prevention of T2DM.

The Roles of a Native Starch and a Resistant Dextrin in Texture Improvement and Low Glycemic Index of Biscuits

Low-GI biscuits are commonly produced using whole-grain flour, bran, or soluble dietary fibers, giving an undesirable texture. New low-GI biscuits containing dietary fibers and with improved palatability were formulated by substituting 60% of wheat flour (WF) with a native starch (ST) and 15% of WF with a resistant dextrin (RD), a source of dietary fibers. The botanical source of ST was common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench). Biscuits were also made with a single substitution by ST or by RD at the same level for comparison. The firmness of the biscuits was increased with the single substitution by RD due to its small average molecular size and high hygroscopicity, while it was decreased with the single substitution by ST. The double substitution by ST and RD not only produced the texture with the lowest firmness and brittleness, but also led to the lowest in vitro starch digestion rate and total starch digestibility. The human trial confirmed that the biscuits with the double substitution had a low GI of 47. The results indicated the additive or synergistic effects of ST and RD on the properties of the biscuits, demonstrating that low-GI biscuits can be produced with a substantial dietary fiber content without jeopardizing their palatability.

The potential role of yeasts in the mitigation of health issues related to beer consumption

Food consumption of healthier products has become an essential trend in the food sector. This is also the case in beer, a biochemical process of transformation performed by yeast cells. More and more studies proclaim the need to reduce ethanol content in alcoholic drinks, certainly the most important health issue of beer consumption. In this review we gather key health issues related to beer consumption and the last advances regarding the use of yeast to attenuate those health problems. Furthermore, we have included the latest findings about the general positive impact of yeast in health as a consequence of its ability to biotransform polyphenolic compounds present in the wort, producing healthy compounds as hydroxytyrosol or melatonin, and its ability to perform as a probiotic driver. Besides, a group of population with chronic diseases as diabetes or celiac disease could take advantage of low carbohydrate or gluten-free beers, respectively. The role of yeast in beer production has been traditionally associated to its fermentative power. But here we have found a change in this dogma in the last years toward yeasts being a main driver to enhance healthy aspects of beer. The key findings are discussed and possible future directions are proposed.

Structure Characterization and Potential Probiotic Effects of Sorghum and Oat Resistant Dextrins

Resistant dextrins (RDs) were prepared from sorghum and oat starches to determine their molecular structure, physicochemical properties, digestibility and prebiotics effect in vitro. The results showed that the particle size of sorghum resistant dextrin (SRD) and oat resistant dextrin (ORD) was significantly smaller than their respective starches. They formed a block structure, and lost the original A-type structure. In addition, SRD and ORD had good thermal stability, solubility (>90%) and enzymatic hydrolysis resistance (digestibility < 5%). The potential probiotic effects of ORD and SRD were studied by measurement of their promoting effects on the growth of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii. For Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus, the promoting effect of ORD was the best (p < 0.05), and the counts increased by 8.89 and 8.74 log CFU/mL, respectively, compared with the control. For Lactobacillus delbrueckii, SRD was most effective, increasing the counts by 8.72 log CFU/mL compared with the control. These characteristics make SRD and ORD suitable for use as soluble dietary fiber and prebiotics in beverages and the excipients of low-glycemic-index products.

Purified diet versus whole food diet and the inconsistent results in studies using animal models

In animal models, purified diets (PDs) and whole food diets (WFDs) are used for different purposes. In similar studies, different dietary patterns may lead to inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of WFDs and PDs on changes in the metabolism of mice. We found that different dietary patterns produced different results in lipid metabolism experiments. Compared with those of the PD-fed mice, the WFD-fed mice had higher body weights and serum glucose, serum lipid, and liver lipid levels (p < 0.01), as well as low glucose tolerance (p < 0.01) and insulin sensitivity (p < 0.05). The body weight and fasting blood glucose increased by 20% in the WFD-fed mice, and the white adipose tissue weight increased by ∼50%. The WFD-fed mice also had a comparatively higher abundance of Lactobacillus, Turicibacter, Bifidobacterium, Desulfovibrio, and Candidatus saccharimonas (p < 0.01), which were positively correlated with lipid accumulation. Dietary patterns should be chosen cautiously in studies that use rodents as models. Inappropriate selection of animal dietary patterns may lead to experimental systematic errors and paradoxical results.

Effect of the Consumption of Alcohol-Free Beers with Different Carbohydrate Composition on Postprandial Metabolic Response

Background: We investigated the postprandial effects of an alcohol-free beer with modified carbohydrate (CH) composition compared to regular alcohol-free beer. Methods: Two randomized crossover studies were conducted. In the first study, 10 healthy volunteers received 25 g of CH in four different periods, coming from regular alcohol-free beer (RB), alcohol-free beer enriched with isomaltulose and a resistant maltodextrin (IMB), alcohol-free beer enriched with resistant maltodextrin (MB), and a glucose-based beverage. In the second study, 20 healthy volunteers were provided with 50 g of CH from white bread (WB) plus water, or with 14.3 g of CH coming from RB, IMB, MB, and extra WB. Blood was sampled after ingestion every 15 min for 2 h. Glucose, insulin, incretin hormones, TG, and NEFAs were determined in all samples. Results: The increase in glucose, insulin, and incretin hormones after the consumption of IMB and MB was significantly lower than after RB. The consumption of WB with IMB and MB showed significantly less increase in glucose levels than WB with water or WB with RB. Conclusions: The consumption of an alcohol-free beer with modified CH composition led to a better postprandial response compared to a conventional alcohol-free beer.

Rare sugars and their health effects in humans: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence from human trials

CONTEXT

Rare sugars are monosaccharides and disaccharides (found in small quantities in nature) that have slight differences in their chemical structure compared with traditional sugars. Little is known about their unique physiological and cardiometabolic effects in humans.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and synthesis of controlled intervention studies of rare sugars in humans, using PRISMA guidelines.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through October 1, 2020. Studies included both post-prandial (acute) and longer-term (≥1 week duration) human feeding studies that examined the effect of rare sugars (including allulose, arabinose, tagatose, trehalose, and isomaltulose) on cardiometabolic and physiological risk factors.

DATA EXTRACTION

In all, 50 studies in humans focusing on the 5 selected rare sugars were found. A narrative synthesis of the selected literature was conducted, without formal quality assessment or quantitative synthesis.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The narrative summary included the food source of each rare sugar, its effect in humans, and the possible mechanism of effect. Overall, these rare sugars were found to offer both short- and long-term benefits for glycemic control and weight loss, with effects differing between healthy individuals, overweight/obese individuals, and those with type 2 diabetes. Most studies were of small size and there was a lack of large randomized controlled trials that could confirm the beneficial effects of these rare sugars.

CONCLUSION

Rare sugars could offer an opportunity for commercialization as an alternative sweetener, especially for those who are at high cardiometabolic risk.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

OSF registration no. 10.17605/OSF.IO/FW43D.

Effects of Oligosaccharides on Markers of Glycemic: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVE To Investigate the effect of oligosaccharide on marker of glycemic including fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting blood insulin (FBI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR),...

Efficiency of Resistant Starch and Dextrins as Prebiotics: A Review of the Existing Evidence and Clinical Trials

In well-developed countries, people have started to pay additional attention to preserving healthy dietary habits, as it has become common knowledge that neglecting them may easily lead to severe health impairments, namely obesity, malnutrition, several cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetes, cancers, hypertensions, and inflammations. Various types of functional foods were developed that are enriched with vitamins, probiotics, prebiotics, and dietary fibers in order to develop a healthy balanced diet and to improve the general health of consumers. Numerous kinds of fiber are easily found in nature, but they often have a noticeable undesired impact on the sensory features of foods or on the digestive system. This led to development of modified dietary fibers, which have little to no impact on taste of foods they are added to. At the same time, they possess all the benefits similar to those of prebiotics, such as regulating gastrointestinal microbiota composition, increasing satiety, and improving the metabolic parameters of a human. In the following review, the evidence supporting prebiotic properties of modified starches, particularly resistant starches and their derivatives, resistant dextrins, was assessed and deliberated, which allowed drawing an interesting conclusion on the subject.

Production, Consumption, and Potential Public Health Impact of Low- and No-Alcohol Products: Results of a Scoping Review

Switching from higher strength to low- and no-alcohol products could result in consumers buying and drinking fewer grams of ethanol. We undertook a scoping review with systematic searches of English language publications between 1 January 2010 and 17 January 2021 using PubMed and Web of Science, covering production, consumption, and policy drivers related to low- and no-alcohol products. Seventy publications were included in our review. We found no publications comparing a life cycle assessment of health and environmental impacts between alcohol-free and regular-strength products. Three publications of low- and no-alcohol beers found only limited penetration of sales compared with higher strength beers. Two publications from only one jurisdiction (Great Britain) suggested that sales of no- and low-alcohol beers replaced rather than added to sales of higher strength beers. Eight publications indicated that taste, prior experiences, brand, health and wellbeing issues, price differentials, and overall decreases in the social stigma associated with drinking alcohol-free beverages were drivers of the purchase and consumption of low- and no-alcohol beers and wines. Three papers indicated confusion amongst consumers with respect to the labelling of low- and no-alcohol products. One paper indicated that the introduction of a minimum unit price in both Scotland and Wales favoured shifts in purchases from higher- to lower-strength beers. The evidence base for the potential beneficial health impact of low- and no-alcohol products is very limited and needs considerable expansion. At present, the evidence base could be considered inadequate to inform policy.

Recent innovations in the production of selected specialty (non-traditional) beers

Customer demand for product diversity is the key driving force for innovations in the brewing industry. Specialty beers are regarded as a distinct group of beers different from two major types, lagers and ales, without established definitions or boundaries. Specialty beers, including low- to no-alcohol beer, low carbohydrate beer, gluten-free beer, sour beer, probiotic beer, and enriched beer, are exclusively brewed and developed keeping in mind their functionality, the health and wellbeing of the consumer, and emerging market trends. Compared with conventional beer-brewing, the production of specialty beers is technologically challenging and usually requires additional process steps, unique microorganisms, and special equipment, which in turn may incur additional costs. In addition, the maintenance of quality and stability of the products as well as consumer acceptability of the products are major challenges to successful commercialization. A harmonious integration of traditional brewing practices and modern technological approaches may hold potential for future developments. In the present review, latest developments in the fermentative production of selected specialty beers are discussed.

An alcohol-free beer enriched with isomaltulose and a resistant dextrin modulates gut microbiome in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus and overweight or obesity: a pilot study

We aimed to study the effect of consuming an alcohol-free beer with modified carbohydrates composition (almost completely eliminating maltose and adding isomaltulose (16.5 g day^-1) and resistant maltodextrin (5.28 g day^-1)) in gut microbiome, compared to regular alcohol-free beer in subjects with T2DM or prediabetes and overweight/obesity. This is a pilot, randomized, double-blinded, crossover study including a sub-sample of a global study with 14 subjects: (a) consuming 66 cl day^-1 of regular alcohol-free beer for the first 10 weeks and 66 cl day^-1 of modified alcohol-free beer for the next 10 weeks; (b) the same described intervention in opposite order. BMI homogeneously decreased after both interventions. Glucose and HOMA-IR significantly decreased just after the participants consumed modified alcohol-free beer. These findings were in the same line as those reported in the global study. Dominant bacteria at baseline were Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria and Tenericutes. Parabacteroides, from the Porphymonadaceae family, resulted as the feature with the greatest difference between beers (ANCOM analysis, W = 15). Feature-volatility analysis confirmed the importance of Parabacteroides within the model. Alcohol-free beers consumption resulted in an enhancement of pathways related to metabolism according to PICRUSt analysis, including terpenoid-quinone, lipopolysaccharides and N-glycan biosynthesis. Thus, an alcohol-free beer including the substitution of regular carbohydrates for low doses of isomaltulose and the addition of maltodextrin within meals significantly impacts gut microbiota in diabetic subjects with overweight or obesity. This could, at least partially, explain the improvement in insulin resistance previously found after taking modified alcohol-free alcohol.Clinical Trial Registration: Registered under ClinicalTrials.gov identifier no. NCT03337828.

Rapid HPLC Method for Determination of Isomaltulose in the Presence of Glucose, Sucrose, and Maltodextrins in Dietary Supplements

This paper presents a rapid HPLC method for the separation of isomaltulose (also known as Palatinose) from other common edible carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, and maltodextrins, which are commonly present in food and dietary supplements. This method was applied to determine isomaltulose in selected food supplements for special diets and athletic performance. Due to the selectivity of the separation system, this method can also be used for rapid profiling analysis of mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides in food.

Resistant dextrin reduces obesity and attenuates adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat diet-fed mice

Resistant dextrin (RD), a short chain glucose polymer, has been shown to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in clinical studies. However, the improvement of adipose tissue inflammation and specific mechanisms of RD supplementation in obesity have not been fully investigated. Therefore, we examined whether RD attenuates obesity and adipose tissue inflammation in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a chow diet, a HFD or a HFD with RD supplementation for 12 weeks. Body weight (BW), fasting blood glucose (FBG), epididymal fat accumulation, serum total triglyceride (TG), free fatty acid (FFA) and inflammatory cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10) were measured. Inflammation markers and macrophage infiltration in epididymal adipose tissue were observed. After 12 weeks of intervention, the body weight gain of mice in RD supplementation group was less than that in HFD group. FBG, epididymal fat accumulation, serum TG and FFA levels were reduced in RD supplementation group compared with HFD group. Moreover, serum and mRNA levels of IL-6 were significantly reduced in the RD supplementation group. In addition, RD supplementation reduced macrophage infiltration, regulated polarization of macrophage and inhibited NF-κB signaling in epididymal adipose tissue. In conclusion, RD reduces obesity and attenuates adipose tissue inflammation in HFD-fed mice, and the inhibition of NF-κB signaling may be a presumed mechanism for its effects.

Sucrose isomers as alternative sweeteners: properties, production, and applications

In the daily diet, sweeteners play an indispensable role. Among them, sucrose, a widely occurring disaccharide in nature, is a commonly used sweetener. However, the intake of sucrose can cause a rapid increase in blood glucose, which leads to a number of health problems. Therefore, there is an urgent need for possible alternatives to sucrose. Currently, four naturally occurring sucrose isomers, trehalulose, turanose, leucrose, and isomaltulose are considered to be possible alternatives to sucrose due to their suitable sweetness, potential physiological benefits, and feasible production processes. This review covers the properties of these alternative sweeteners, including their structure, sweetness, hydrolysis rate, toxicology, and cariogenicity, and exhibits their potential applications in chronic diseases management, anti-inflammatory supplement, prebiotic dietary supplement, and stabilizing agent. The biosynthesis of these sucrose isomers using carbohydrate-active enzymes and their industrial production processes are also systematically summarized.