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  • Original Article
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Effects of GI vs content of cereal fibre of the evening meal on glucose tolerance at a subsequent standardized breakfast

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 62, pages 712–720 (2008)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To investigate if the improved glucose tolerance previously observed at breakfast following an evening meal with boiled barley kernels derives from colonic events related to the fermentation of the elevated amounts of indigestible carbohydrates present and/or from the low-GI features.

Subjects/Methods:

Twenty healthy volunteers aged 19–30 years.

Design:

High-GI white wheat bread (WWB), WWB+barley dietary fibre (DF) corresponding to the DF content of barley kernels, low-GI spaghetti+ barley DF, spaghetti+double amounts of barley DF (2*DF), spaghetti+oat DF, or whole grain barley flour porridge, were provided as late evening meals. At a subsequent standardised WWB breakfast, B-glucose, s-insulin, p-SCFA, p-FFA, and breath hydrogen (H2) were measured.

Results: The B-glucose response (incremental areas under the curves (IAUC) 0–120 min and total areas under the curves 0–180 min) to the standardized breakfast was significantly lower after consuming spaghetti+2*DF in the evening compared with barley porridge (P=0.012). The spaghetti+2*DF meal also resulted in the highest breath H2 excretion (P<0.02). The glucose IAUC (0–120 min) after the standardized breakfast was positively correlated to fasting p-FFA (r=0.29, P<0.02), and the total glucose area (0–180 min) was negatively correlated to the p-propionate level (0–30 min) (r=−0.24, P<0.02).

Conclusions:

The prolonged digestive and absorptive phase per se, like with a low-glycaemic index (GI) spaghetti evening meal, did not induce overnight benefits on glucose tolerance. Addition of barley DF in high amounts (2*DF) was required to improve overnight glucose tolerance. The correlations observed between glycaemia and p-propionate implicate colonic fermentation as a modulator of glucose tolerance through a mechanism leading to suppressed free fatty acids levels. It is proposed that the overnight benefits on glucose tolerance previously reported for boiled barley kernels is mediated through colonic fermentation of the prebiotic carbohydrates present in this product.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr C Slater at the Division of Developmental Medicine, University of Glasgow, UK and Dr D Morrison, Mrs A Small, and Ms K Cooper at the Stable Isotope Biochemistry Laboratory, Scottish Universities, UK for skilful assistance with SCFA and breath hydrogen analysis. We thank Mrs L Persson at Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Lund University, Sweden, for technical assistance. The study was funded by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme of Research and Technical Development, specifically the Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources, Key Action 1 Food, Nutrition and Health, QLK1-2001-00431. European Commission QLK1-2001-00431 (EUROSTARCH). None of the authors had any conflicts of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Technology, Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Engineering and Nutrition, Lund University, Sweden

    A Nilsson, E Östman, T Preston & I Björck

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  1. A Nilsson
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  2. E Östman
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  3. T Preston
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  4. I Björck
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Correspondence to A Nilsson.

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Guarantor: I Björck.

Contributors: AN, EÖ and IB were involved in the study design. AN was in charge of the collection and analysis of data, TP was responsible for the analysis of SCFA and breath H2. AN had the primary responsibility for writing the paper, but all the authors provided comments on several drafts.

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Nilsson, A., Östman, E., Preston, T. et al. Effects of GI vs content of cereal fibre of the evening meal on glucose tolerance at a subsequent standardized breakfast. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 712–720 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602784

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