The addition of barley to a healthy diet may be effective in lowering total and LDL cholesterol in both men and women.

Twelve women and 13 men were given meals containing cornstarch with 70% of the starch in the form of amylopectin or amylose to determine if differences in glycemic response result from different chemical structure. Blood was drawn before and 30, 60, 120, and 180 min after each meal. The meals consisted of starch crackers fed at the rate of 1 g carbohydrate from starch per kilogram body weight. The amylose meal resulted in a significantly lower glucose peak at 30 min than did the amylopectin meal. Plasma insulin response was significantly lower 30 and 60 min after amylose than after the amylopectin meal. Summed insulin above fasting was significantly lower after amylose while summed glucose was not significantly different between the two meals. The sustained plasma glucose levels after the amylose meal with reduced insulin requirement suggest amylose starch may be of potential benefit to carbohydrate-sensitive or diabetic individuals.

Twelve men consumed a diet containing 34% of calories as 70% amylose or amylopectin starch to determine if the structure of starch could influence metabolic factors associated with abnormal states. Each starch was fed to subjects for 5 wk in a crossover design. No significant differences were observed in glucose or insulin levels when a glucose tolerance was given after 4 wk on each starch. However, glucose and insulin responses were significantly lower when a meal containing amylose compared with amylopectin was consumed after 5 wk on each starch. Summation of 0.5 through 2-h levels of insulin but not glucose were significantly lower after amylose compared with levels after amylopectin. Mean fasting triglyceride and cholesterol levels were significantly lower during the period when amylose was consumed. Long-term intake of dietary amylose may be valuable in decreasing insulin response while maintaining proper control of glucose tolerance and low levels of blood lipids.

Objective: Consumption of a meal high in amylose starch (70%) decreases peak insulin and glucose levels and area under the curve (AUC). The objective was to determine the amount of amylose necessary in a meal for the beneficial decrease in glucose or insulin to occur. Design: Twenty-five subjects, 13 men (averaging 88.1 kg, 41 y, and 27.9 body mass index) and 12 women (averaging 72.4 kg, 41 y and 27.1 body mass index) were given six tolerance tests in a Latin Square design: glucose alone (1 g glucose=kg body weight) and five breads (1 g carbohydrate=kg body weight) made with 70% amylose cornstarch, standard cornstarch (30% amylose), and blends of the two starches (40, 50 and 60% amylose starch). A standard menu was fed for 3 days. One subject withdrew from the study. Results: Glucose, insulin and glucagon response to the carbohydrate loads was similar in men and women. Peak glucose response was lowest after the breads containing 50 -70% amylose starch. AUC was significantly higher after the glucose load than after all bread loads. The lowest AUCs occurred after the 60 and 70% amylose starch breads. Insulin response and AUC were significantly lower after the 60 and 70% amylose starch breads than after the glucose or the other breads. Conclusion: Results indicate that the amylose content of the starch used in the acute meal needs to be greater than 50% to significantly reduce plasma glucose and insulin in men and women.