According to findings published in the European Journal of Nutrition, five weeks of consuming inulin-enriched pasta produced improvements in blood sugar control
“To our knowledge, this is the first report of a clear effect of inulin administration on gut peptides that are involved in gastric emptying in healthy subjects,” wrote the researchers, led by Francesco Russo from the Laboratory of Experimental Biochemistry in Bari, Italy.
Prebiotics
Arguably less well known than probiotics (beneficial bacteria) prebiotics are defined as “non-digestible (by the host) food ingredients that have a beneficial effect through their selective metabolism in the intestinal tract” (Gibson et al. 2004).
Commercially established prebiotics are often oligosaccharides such as inulin and oligofructose, however, recent research into potential prebiotics has suggested sources ranging from barley extract to almonds.
The new Italian study used inulin from chicory root provided by Beneo-Orafti (Orafti HPGel). Dr Russo and his co-workers prepared pasta using 86 percent semolina, 3 percent durum wheat and 11 percent inulin.
“[An] important issue is the feasibility of using manufactured foods enriched with inulin in terms of practicability, palatability, compliance, and duration of administration,” explained the researchers in the EJN.
“At the chosen dose of fiber, no side effects or gastrointestinal symptoms were recorded, and compliance to the study scheme was very high.
“The dietary intervention in the present study was negligible since the normal diet was maintained, including the daily intake of pasta.”
Study details
Twenty healthy young men with an average age of 19 were recruited to participate in the randomized double-blind crossover study. Volunteers were randomly assigned to receive either the inulin-enriched pasta for five weeks, or normal pasta. After the five weeks of experimental study, both groups resumed their normal diet for eight weeks, and then crossed over to the other intervention.
Results showed that consumption of the prebiotic-enriched pasta produced significant increases in levels of gut peptides linked to the emptying of the stomach, namely neurotensin and somatostatin, compared to consumption of the control pasta.
A reduction in the rate of gastric emptying was also recorded by the Italian researchers.
Commenting on how the prebiotic may exert an effect, the researchers said that this may be linked to the production of short chain fatty acids in the intestine, which then have an effect of the so-called ‘ileal brake’ – a phenomenon whereby functions in the upper regions of the gastrointestinal tract are inhibited.
Promising results
“It should be emphasized that the present findings are preliminary, since only a small number of healthy young male subjects were studied over a relatively short period,” wrote the researchers in the EJN.
“Notwithstanding, the results are promising and encourage further research in this direction in the form of studies on both larger healthy populations and patients with metabolic syndrome, over longer periods of time,” they concluded.
Straightforward improvements
Commenting independently on the study, Prof Glenn Gibson, a world-renowned prebiotic expert at the University of Reading in the UK, told NutraIngredients-USA that this was another study showing the health aspects of prebiotic intake.
“Yet again, these harmless interventions are shown to be relevant for improving host welfare through straightforward means,” he added.
Source: European Journal of Nutrition (Springer)
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s00394-010-0135-6
“Effects of a diet with inulin-enriched pasta on gut peptides and gastric emptying rates in healthy young volunteers”
Authors: F. Russo, C. Clemente, M. Linsalata, M. Chiloiro, A. Orlando, E. Marconi, G. Chimienti, G. Riezzo