Blood glucose response to pea fiber: comparisons with sugar beet fiber and wheat bran

Abstract

Two new fiber types, pea fiber (PF) and sugar beet fiber (BF), were compared with wheat bran (WB) to investigate the effect on postprandial blood glucose and serum insulin responses in normal subjects. The control meal consisted of 150 g ground beef mixed with 50 g glucose and 20 g lactulose. Only addition of PF (15 g pure fiber) reduced the area under the incremental blood glucose curve significantly (by 65%, p less than 0.05). None of the fibers affected the area under the insulin-response curve significantly although it was reduced by all fibers. Mouth-to-cecum transit time, assessed by the hydrogen breath technique, was decreased by WB and BF, (p less than 0.05) but not by PF. PF is palatable and may prove beneficial as a fiber supplement for diabetics.