Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Effects of sucromalt on postprandial responses in human subjects

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 1364–1371 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Backgroud/Objective:

To compare postprandial responses elicited by sucromalt, a nutritive sweetener produced by treating a blend of sucrose and corn syrup with an enzyme from Leuconostoc mesenteroides, with those after 42% of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and to see if the reduced responses after sucromalt could be accounted for by carbohydrate malabsorption.

Subject and Methods:

Three experiments were performed in separate groups of normal subjects studied after overnight fasts using double-blind, randomized, cross-over designs. HFCS was used as the control because it contained a similar amount of fructose as sucromalt. Experiment 1 (n=10): plasma glucose and insulin were measured after 50 g sucromalt and 50 g HFCS. Experiment 2 (n=10): metabolic profiles were measured after 80 g HFCS, 80 g sucromalt or 56 g fructose/glucose blend plus 24 g inulin. Experiment 3 (n=20): the glycaemic indices of sucromalt and HFCS were determined.

Results:

Mean glucose and insulin responses after sucromalt were 66 and 62%, respectively, of those after HFCS (P<0.05). The inulin treatment, used to mimic the effects of carbohydrate malabsorption, elicited higher breath hydrogen (H2), lower glucose and insulin responses, and a significantly earlier rise in serum free fatty acids (FFA) than those of HFCS (all P<0.05). Sucromalt elicited no rise in breath H2, and delayed falls in glucose and insulin, and a delayed rebound of FFA compared to HFCS (all P<0.05).

Conclusions:

The reduced glucose and insulin responses elicited by sucromalt are not explained by malabsorption and are more likely related to differences in either rate of digestion and absorption or postabsorptive handling by body.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bell SJ, Sears B (2003). Low-glycemic-load diets: impact on obesity and chronic diseases. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 43, 357–377.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brighenti F, Benini L, Del Rio D, Casiraghi C, Pellegrini N, Scazzina F et al. (2006). Colonic fermentation of indigestible carbohydrates contributes to the second-meal effect. Am J Clin Nutr 83, 817–822.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brouns F, Bjorck I, Frayn KN, Gibbs AL, Lang V, Slama G et al. (2005). Glycaemic index methodology. Nutr Res Rev 18, 145–171.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brubaker PL (1991). Regulation of intestinal proglucagon-derived peptide secretion by intestinal regulatory peptides. Endocrinology 128, 3175–3182.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen M, Porte D (1975). The effect of rate and dose of glucose infusion on the acute insulin response in man. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 42, 1168–1175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christensen NJ, Ørskov H, Hansen AP (1972). Significance of glucose load in oral glucose tolerance tests. Acta Med Scand 192, 337–342.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cody RP, Smith JK (1997). Applied Statistics and the SAS Programming Language 4th edn Prentice-Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier GR, Wolever TMS, Jenkins DJA (1987). Concurrent ingestion of fat and reduction in starch content impairs carbohydrate tolerance to subsequent meals. Am J Clin Nutr 45, 963–969.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daly ME, Vale C, Walker M, Littlefield A, Alberti KGMM, Mathers J (2000). Acute fuel selection in response to high-sucrose and high-starch meals in healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr 71, 1516–1524.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foster-Powell K, Holt SH, Brand-Miller JC (2002). International table of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2002. Am J Clin Nutr 76, 5–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frost G, Brynes A, Leeds A (1999). Effect of large bowel fermentation on insulin, glucose, free fatty acids, and glucagons-like peptide-1 (7–36) amide in patients with coronary heart disease. Nutrition 15, 183–188.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gee JM, Johnson IT (2005). Dietary lactitol fermentation increases circulating peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1 in rats and humans. Nutr 21, 1036–1043.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJA, Mayer A, Jenkins AL, Wolever TMS, Collier GR, Wesson V et al. (1987). Simple and complex carbohydrates: lack of glycemic difference between glucose and glucose polymers. J Clin Nutr Gastroenterol 2, 113–116.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJA, Wolever TMS, Ocana AM, Vuksan V, Cunnane SC, Jenkins M et al. (1990). Metabolic effects of reducing rate of glucose ingestion by single bolus versus continuous sipping. Diabetes 39, 775–781.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJA, Wolever TMS, Taylor RH, Barker HM, Fielden H, Baldwin JM et al. (1981). Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange. Am J Clin Nutr 34, 362–366.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jenkins DJA, Wolever TMS, Taylor RH, Griffiths C, Krzeminska K, Lawrie JA et al. (1982). Slow release carbohydrate improves second meal tolerance. Am J Clin Nutr 35, 1339–1346.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Juntunen KS, Laaksonen DE, Autio K, Niskanen LK, Holst JJ, Savolainen KE et al. (2003). Structural differences between rye and wheat breads but not total fiber content may explain the lower postprandial insulin response to rye bread. Am J Clin Nutr 78, 957–964.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kendall CW, Emam A, Augustin LS, Jenkins DJ (2004). Resistant starches and health. J AOAC Int 87, 769–774.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krause HP, Keup U, Puls W (1982). Inhibition of disaccharide digestion in rat intestine by the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose (BAY g 5421). Digestion 23, 232–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lang V, Bornet FRJ, Vaugelade P, van Ypersele de Strihou M, Luo J et al. (1999). Euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp to assess posthepatic glucose appearance after carbohydrate loading. 2. Evaluation of corn and mung bean starches in healthy men. Am J Clin Nutr 69, 1183–1188.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liljeberg HGM, Åkerberg AKE, Björck IME (1999). Effect of the glycemic index and content of indigestible carbohydrates of cereal-based breakfast meals on glucose tolerance at lunch in healthy subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 69, 647–655.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Livesey G (2003). Health potential of polyols as sugar replacers, with emphasis on low glycaemic properties. Nutr Res Rev 16, 163–191.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Probert HM, Gibson GR (2002). Investigating the prebiotic and gas-generating effects of selected carbohydrates on the human colonic microflora. Lett Appl Microbiol 35, 473–480.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ranganath L, Morgan L (2000). An osmotic stimulus-mediating glucagon-like peptide-1 (7–36 amide) (GLP-1) secretion in acarbose-induced sucrose malabsorption? Nutrition 16, 64–66.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reimer RA, McBurney MI (1996). Dietary fiber modulates intestinal proglucagon messenger ribonucleic acid and postprandial secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1 and insulin in rats. Endocrinology 137, 3948–3956.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberfroid MB (2005). Introducing inulin-type fructans. Br J Nutr 93 (Suppl 1), S13–S25.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberge JN, Brubaker PL (1991). Secretion of proglucagon-derived peptides in response to intestinal luminal nutrients. Endocrinology 128, 3169–3174.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rumessen JJ, Gudmand-Høyer E (1998). Fructans of chicory: intestinal transport and fermentation of different chain lengths and relation to fructose and sorbitol malabsorption. Am J Clin Nutr 68, 357–364.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanz ML, Côté GL, Gibson GR, Rastall RA (2006). Influence of glycosidic linkages and molecular weight on the fermentation of maltose-based oligosaccharides by human gut bacteria. J Agric Food Chem 54, 9779–9784.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanz ML, Gibson GR, Rastall RA (2005). Influence of disaccharide structure on prebiotic selectivity in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 53, 5192–5199.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van den Heuvel EGHM, Wils D, Pasman WJ, Bakker M, Saniez M-H, Kardinaal AFM (2004). Short-term digestive tolerance of different doses of Nutriose®FB, a food dextrin, in adult men. Eur J Clin Nutr 58, 1046–1055.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van den Heuvel EGHM, Wils D, Pasman WJ, Saniez MH, Kardinaal AFM (2005). Dietary supplementation of different doses of Nutriose®FB, a fermentable dextrin, alters the activity of faecal enzymes in healthy men. Eur J Nutr 44, 445–451.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogt JA, Pencharz PB, Wolever TMS (2004). -rhamnose raises serum propionate in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 80, 89–94.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wahlqvist ML, Wilmshurst EG, Murton CR, Richardson EN (1978). The effect of chain length on glucose absorption and the related metabolic response. Am J Clin Nutr 31, 1998–2001.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS (2004). Carbohydrate and the regulation of blood glucose and metabolism. Nutr Rev 61, S40–S48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS (2006). The Glycaemic Index: A Physiological Classification of Dietary Carbohydrate. CABI Publishing: Wallingford, UK.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS, Bentum-Williams A (1994). Effect of fixed versus weight-adjusted dose of oral glucose on plasma glucose, insulin and FFA responses; implications for the design of postprandial studies. Nutr Res 14, 799–806.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS, Bolognesi C (1996a). Source and amount of carbohydrate affect postprandial glucose and insulin in normal subjects. J Nutr 126, 2798–2806.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS, Bolognesi C (1996b). Prediction of glucose and insulin responses of normal subjects after consuming mixed meals varying in energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate and glycemic index. J Nutr 126, 2807–2812.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS, Bentum-Williams A, Jenkins DJA (1995). Physiologic modulation of plasma FFA concentrations by diet: metabolic implications in non-diabetic subjects. Diabetes Care 18, 962–970.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS, Spadafora P, Eshuis H (1991). Interaction between colonic acetate and propionate in man. Am J Clin Nutr 53, 681–687.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wolever TMS, Yang M, Zeng XY, Atkinson F, Brand-Miller JC (2006). Food glycemic index, as given in GI tables, is a significant determinant of glycemic responses elicited by composite breakfasts. Am J Clin Nutr 83, 1306–1312.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zar JH (1984). Biostatistical Analysis 2nd edn Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Supported by Cargill Inc. TC is employed by Cargill Inc. TMSW received a research grant from Cargill and is President and part-owner of Glycemic Index Laboratories Inc. and Glycaemic Index Testing Inc. AG declares no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    A Grysman & T M S Wolever

  2. Cargill Inc., Dayton, OH, USA

    T Carlson

  3. Glycemic Index Laboratories, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    T M S Wolever

  4. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    T M S Wolever

  5. Glycaemic Index Testing Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    T M S Wolever

Authors
  1. A Grysman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T Carlson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. T M S Wolever
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T M S Wolever.

Additional information

The study was conceived by TC and TMSW with all authors contributing equally to the final design, statistical analysis and interpretation of the results. AG collected the data for experiment 2 and wrote the first draft of the manuscript that was edited by TMSW and reviewed by AG and TC.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grysman, A., Carlson, T. & Wolever, T. Effects of sucromalt on postprandial responses in human subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1364–1371 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602890

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602890

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links