The effect of beverage choice at an ad libitum meal caloric intake and post‐meal appetite and glycemia in healthy young men

Abstract

We hypothesized that milk with meals lowers food intake and post meal blood glucose and appetite when compared with other beverages. In a randomized crossover design, 15 men (age: 22.1±0.5 years; BMI: 22.6±0.4 kg/m2) consumed one of five beverages, 1% milk (110 kcal/250 ml), orange juice (110 kcal/250 ml), regular cola (110 kcal/250 ml), diet cola (0 kcal), and water (0 kcal), at a pizza meal. Blood glucose and subjective appetite were measured at baseline and at 20, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 min. Pizza intake was not affected by beverage, but total energy intake (P<0.0001) and postprandial appetite suppression (P=0.02) were higher with milk, orange juice and regular cola compared to water and diet cola. Ad libitum consumption of milk and pizza resulted in the highest intakes of proteins (P=0.012), vitamins and minerals and less total carbohydrate, sugars and caffeine (P<0.0001). Blood glucose area under the curve after milk was reduced by 31% and 36% compared to orange juice and regular cola, respectively (P=0.0003), with no difference between water, milk and diet cola. Glucose peaks at 30 min were lower after milk and diet cola (P<0.0001) and after only milk at 60 min (P=0.004) compared to orange juice and regular cola. While milk did not reduce meal time food intake, its contribution to nutrient balance at the meal and its lowering of post meal glycemia and appetite suggest that it is the preferred caloric meal‐time beverage.Grant Funding Source: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada‐Collaborative Research and Development, Dairy Farmers of Ontario and Kraft Canada