A Snack Formulated with Ingredients to Slow Carbohydrate Digestion and Absorption Reduces the Glycemic Response in Humans: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Decreasing the RAG:SAG ratio of granola cereal predictably reduces postprandial glucose and insulin responses: a report of four randomised trials in healthy adults

Dietary starch contains rapidly (RAG) and slowly available glucose (SAG). To establish the relationships between the RAG:SAG ratio and postprandial glucose, insulin and hunger, we measured postprandial responses elicited by test meals varying in the RAG:SAG ratio in n 160 healthy adults, each of whom participated in one of four randomised cross-over studies (n 40 each): a pilot trial comparing six chews (RAG:SAG ratio 2·4–42·7) and three studies comparing a test granola (TG1-3, RAG:SAG ratio 4·5–5·2) with a control granola (CG1–3, RAG:SAG ratio 54·8–69·3). Within studies, test meals were matched for fat, protein and available carbohydrate. Blood glucose, serum insulin and subjective hunger were measured for 3 h. Data were subjected to repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The relationships between the RAG:SAG ratio and postprandial end points were determined by regression analysis. In the pilot trial, 0–2 h glucose incremental areas under the curve (iAUC0–2; primary end point) varied across the six chews (P = 0·014) with each 50 % reduction in the RAG:SAG ratio reducing relative glucose response by 4·0 %. TGs1-3 elicited significantly lower glucose iAUC0–2 than CGs1–3 by 17, 18 and 17 %, respectively (similar to the 15 % reduction predicted by the pilot trial). The combined means ± sem (n 120) for TC and CG were glucose iAUC0–2, 98 ± 4 v. 118 ± 4 mmol × min/l (P < 0·001), and insulin iAUC0–2, 153 ± 9 v. 184 ± 11 nmol × h/l (P < 0·001), respectively. Neither postprandial hunger nor glucose or hunger increments 2 h after eating differed significantly between TG and CG. We concluded that TGs with RAG:SAG ratios <5·5 predictably reduced glycaemic and insulinaemic responses compared with CGs with RAG:SAG ratios >54. However, compared with CG, TG did not reduce postprandial hunger or delay the return of glucose or hunger to baseline.

Pasta Consumption Is Linked to Greater Nutrient Intakes and Improved Diet Quality in American Children and Adults, and Beneficial Weight-Related Outcomes Only in Adult Females

The present analyses evaluated associations between pasta consumption, nutrient intakes, and diet quality in U.S. children (2–18 years-old; N = 323) and adults (≥19 years-old; N = 400) using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2012 dataset. An additional aim included assessing associations with pasta consumption and weight-related outcomes in adults. Consumption of dry, domestic, and imported wheat pasta/noodles without eggs defined pasta consumers. Energy intake was similar when comparing pasta consumers vs. non-consumers of pasta. Pasta consumers had increased daily intake of dietary fiber (16 ± 0.6 vs. 13 ± 0.1 g/d, p < 0.0001; 21 ± 0.8 vs. 16 ± 0.1 g/d, p < 0.0001), folate, DFE (701 ± 30 vs. 528 ± 5 μg/d, p < 0.0001; 733 ± 42 vs. 546 ± 4 μg/d, p < 0.0001), iron (16 ± 0.5 vs. 14 ± 0.1 mg/d, p = 0.01; 18 ± 0.9 vs. 16 ± 0.1 mg/d, p = 0.01), magnesium (249 ± 7 vs. 231 ± mg/d, p = 0.006; 327 ± 12 vs. 297 ± 2 mg/d, p < 0.02), and vitamin E as α-tocopherol (7 ± 0.4 vs. 6 ± 0.05 mg/d, p = 0.012; 10.0 ± 0.4 vs. 7.7 ± 0.1 mg/d, p < 0.0001), when compared to non-consumers of pasta, in children and adults, respectively. Daily intakes for potassium, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin D were similar when comparing pasta consumers to non-consumers of pasta. Adult pasta consumers had reduced added sugar and saturated fat intake, while no differences were observed for sodium intake vs. non-pasta consumption. Pasta consumption in children was associated with lower saturated fat, with no differences seen in added sugar and sodium intake. Pasta consumption was associated with an improved diet quality relative to non-pasta consumption (children: 48.6 ± 1.0 vs. 45.6 ± 0.2, p = 0.002; adult: 51.0 ± 0.9 vs. 48.9 ± 0.2, p = 0.024). No associations were observed when evaluating pasta consumption in all adults, however, gender-specific analysis revealed reduced body mass index, waist circumference, and body weight in females aged 19–50 years when compared to no pasta consumption. Overall, pasta consumption was associated with a better diet quality, improved nutrient intakes and lower intake of nutrients to limit relative to non-pasta consumption in Americans.