ARS | Publication request: Arepas made from ß-glucans enriched corn flour produced low metabolic responses in healthy subjects

Submitted to: Latin American Journal of Hypertension
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: November 24, 2008
Publication Date: December 30, 2008
Citation: Souki-Rincon, A., Almarza, J., Mengual, E., Cano-Penaloza, R., Fuenmayor, E., Aguirre, M., Araujo, S., Reyna-Villasmil, N., Cano-Ponce, C., Inglett, G.E., Zafar, H., Hernandez-Hernandez, R., Velasco, M. 2008. Arepas made from ß-glucans enriched corn flour produced low metabolic responses in healthy subjects. Latin American Journal of Hypertension. 3(7):211-215.

Interpretive Summary: Corn is one of the most important cereals for the nutrition of some American populations where arepas are a very popular corn-based food. The arepa consumption effects on glucose and insulin response showed important changes when ß-glucan from Calorie-Trim was added to the preparation. Three different meals (white bread, corn flour arepa and arepa with ß-glucans) were served as breakfast to fourteen young subjects in random order after an overnight fast to determine basal and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. Ingestion of white bread and corn arepa increased the postprandial insulin 70% and 52% respectively, but ß-glucan arepa was increased only 16% postprandial insulin level. This study showed that the addition of ß-glucan, to corn products like arepa, reduced glucose and insulin response. ingestion of ß-glucans are important for the treatment of individuals with insulin resistance and diabetes. Since diabetic conditions are increasing in the US, the addition of ß-glucan to food could be beneficial to American health.

Technical Abstract: Corn is one of the most important cereals for the nutrition of large groups of the Latin American population and arepa is a very popular corn-based food preparation. In order to study the arepa consumption effects on glucose and insulin response when ß-glucans were added to this preparation, three different meals (white bread, corn flour arepa and arepa with ß-glucans) were served as breakfast to fourteen young subjects in random order after an overnight fast, to determine basal and postprandial glucose and insulin levels. One way ANOVA test was carry out to compare glucose and insulin responses between test meals and between basal and postprandial (glucose and insulin) levels of each meal. Ingestion of white bread and corn arepa increased postprandial insulin 70.1% and 51.8% respectively, but ß-glucan arepa increased only 16% postprandial insulin levels, neither white bread and corn arepa nor ß-glucan arepa increased significantly postprandial plasma glucose. In conclusion this study shows that by addition of ß-glucan, to corn products like arepa reduces glucose and insulin response.