Metabolic response to beet fibre test meals

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Test meals with 10.9 g dietary fibre from sugar beet and corresponding control meals were given to eight healthy subjects, aged 67 ± 9 years. The postprandial glucose, triglyceride, hormone and glycerol responses were monitored during 3 hours. After the beet fibre meal the insulin and C‐peptide areas were reduced by 28 (P < 0.01) and 22% (P > 0.025), respectively, and the somatostatin levels increased by approximately 30% (P > 0.05). Further, the maximum relative postprandial reduction of plasma glycerol levels was less evident after the fibre‐rich meal than after the control meal (36 ± 4% v. 46 ± 4%, P < 0.05). There was no apparent difference in the overall glycaemic response between the meals. The triglyceride levels were similar after both test meals.Suspension of beet fibre bread given to rats by oro‐gastric intubation induced lower blood glucose response than a control bread at 15 and 30 min (P < 0.001), respectively, but a similar insulin response.The results suggest an effect of beet fibre on the rate of carbohydrate absorption, expressed as a lower insulin response in the healthy volunteers and a reduced glucose response in the rat.The mechanism behind this effect in healthy subjects could possibly be mediated by an increased somatostatin response.