Glycemic Response of Whole Beans and Bean Products

Overview

The main goal of this clinical trial is to learn if alpha-galactosidase (tradename Beano) changes in post-prandial (after-meal) blood glucose after eating whole cooked whole pulses or pulse-based pasta products in comparison to the same foods without alpha-galactosidase. Comparison of postprandial blood insulin and triglyceride levels, appetite, and gastrointestinal symptoms of flatulence, bloating, and stool changes will be evaluated by comparisons of the alpha-galactosidase and the pulse form (whole vs. pasta). In addition to blood glucose, such as flatulence and bloating, postprandial glucose, insulin, and appetite of individuals. The study design is a 4x4 crossover and the population is healthy volunteers aged 21-34 with normal glucose response and body weight. The primary hypothesis is that alpha-galactosidase will cause increased postprandial blood glucose for both whole and pasta pulse foods. The secondary hypothesis is that gastrointestinal symptoms will be less for both meals with the alpha-galactosidase. Other comparisons are exploratory. Participants will come in fasting for one morning per week and receive the food treatments in randomized order. Test measurements will be taken over a four hour period.

The 4 test treatments (yellow whole bean, yellow whole bean and alpha-galactosidase (AGS), yellow bean flour pasta, yellow bean flour pasta and AGS) will be administered in semi-randomized order once every four weeks. Participants will be randomized to whole beans or bean pasta, and within the meal group randomized again to receive the AGS treatment or not. Pulses will be served with a standardized amount of spaghetti sauce. The treatment intervention consisted of 16 gm of pasta sauce with either no AGS or 600 GALU of AGS. The test participants were required to consume the entire test meal in 7-9 minutes while being observed. Venous blood samples were collected for blood glucose and insulin levels at time 0 (fasting) and at 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes post treatment (timing of the post-treatment draws started at time 0 \[post-treatment\], which is when the participant finishes consuming the treatment meal). Triglycerides were measured at time 0, 60, 120, 180 minutes post-treatment. Blood samples were processed according to laboratory instructions and sent out for analysis by Quest Diagnostics. Breath hydrogen samples were collected at times 0 (fasting), 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120, 135, 150, 165, and 180 minutes post treatment. Samples were measured at the end of the 4-hour test period in sequential order on the same calibrated instrument. Anthropometric measures of weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were collected at screening and weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure will be collected at the start of each test day. Thirteen hours before testing, participants will consume a standardized frozen meal to reduce the potential variation in glycemic responses on test day due to varying pre-evening dietary intakes. This control meal was selected by each participant before the start of the study. Each participant was provided the same frozen meal every time, since the subjects serve as their own controls. The day before test day, participants completed a 24-hour food recall, satiety, and gastrointestinal questionnaires . During each test day participants completed satiety questionnaires, sensory questionnaires, and a gastrointestinal questionnaire. Satiety questionnaires were completed every 45 minutes after the first bite. The sensory questionnaire was completed immediately following the entire test meal being eaten. The gastrointestinal questionnaire was completed the evening before the test day, at 165 minutes following the first bite of the test meal, the evening of testing, and the following evening.