Berries modify the postprandial plasma glucose response to sucrose in healthy subjects

Abstract

Sucrose increases postprandial blood glucose concentrations, and diets with a high glycaemic response may be associated with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and CVD. Previous studies have suggested that polyphenols may influence carbohydrate digestion and absorption and thereby postprandial glycaemia. Berries are rich sources of various polyphenols and berry products are typically consumed with sucrose. We investigated the glycaemic effect of a berry purée made of bilberries, blackcurrants, cranberries and strawberries, and sweetened with sucrose, in comparison to sucrose with adjustment of available carbohydrates. A total of twelve healthy subjects (eleven women and one man, aged 25-69 years) with normal fasting plasma glucose ingested 150 g of the berry purée with 35 g sucrose or a control sucrose load in a randomised, controlled cross-over design. After consumption of the berry meal, the plasma glucose concentrations were significantly lower at 15 and 30 min (P,0·05, P, 0·01, respectively) and significantly higher at 150 min (P, 0·05) compared with the control meal. The peak glucose concentration was reached at 45 min after the berry meal and at 30 min after the control meal. The peak increase from the baseline was 1·0 mmol/l smaller (P¼ 0·002) after ingestion of the berry meal. There was no statistically significant difference in the 3 h area under the glucose response curve. These results show that berries rich in polyphenols decrease the postprandial glucose response of sucrose in healthy subjects. The delayed and attenuated glycaemic response indicates reduced digestion and/or absorption of sucrose from the berry meal.

Berries and anthocyanins: promising functional food ingredients with postprandial glycaemia-lowering effects

“…Consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods has been associated with beneficial effects on metabolic biomarkers in human subjects, including postprandial concentrations of glucose, insulin, free fatty acids and gastrointestinal hormones such as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 (70)(71)(72)(73)(74) . There is increasing evidence for a potential role for dietary anthocyanins in glucose homeostasis, but there is a lack of understanding of the mechanisms by which these effects are exerted.…”

Incorporating freeze-dried strawberry powder into a high-fat meal does not alter postprandial vascular function or blood markers of cardiovascular disease risk: a randomized controlled trial

“…Over time, these repeated insults to the endothelium promote atherogenesis (3,4). Plant-based whole foods are recommended for reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) 9 risk (5) and provide bioactive polyphenols. Effects on postprandial metabolism may be one mechanism by which polyphenols improve health (6).…”

“…Berries have been found to improve the postprandial glycemic profile (9)(10)(11), but previous studies have been limited primarily to carbohydrate-based meals. In addition, although there is evidence that polyphenol-rich interventions attenuate transient postprandial impairments in endothelium-dependent vascular function (12), few studies have evaluated whether central blood pressure and indexes of arterial stiffness can be modified in this context.…”

Postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin response are affected by sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides ssp. turkestanica) berry and its ethanol-soluble metabolites

“…Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess how sea buckthorn berries as well as two different extraction residues (supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO 2 )-extraction residue and ethanol (EtOH)-extracted SF-CO 2 -extraction residue) from sea buckthorn modulate the postprandial metabolism after a high-glucose meal. Recently, mixed berries were shown to suppress postprandial hyperglycemia (Törrönen et al, 2009), but to our knowledge no reports have been published on the effects of berries and berry products on postprandial insulin response.…”