The Effect of Pulse Flours on Blood Glucose, Satiety and Food Intake

The Effect of Food Formulated With Pulse Flours on Blood Glucose, Satiety and Food Intake

Pulse flours represent a fast-growing segment on the functional food market; however, their health effects are not well understood. The observational studies and acute trials have established the link between frequent consumption of cooked whole pulses (beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas) and healthier body weight and improved blood glucose control. However, it is not clear whether these effects still remain after the processing of pulses into flours. The investigators hypothesized that the baked food products formulated with lentil flour of the same particle size as all-purpose wheat flour may reduce postprandial glycaemia and elicit a stronger suppression of subjective appetite due to its higher content of protein and resistant carbohydrate compared to all-purpose wheat flour. The treatments will be formulated either with lentil flour or with all-purpose wheat flour of similar particle size or with their combination. The objective of the project is to test the effect of foods formulated with lentil flour and/or wheat flour on blood glucose, short-term food intake and subjective appetite.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy young male and female adults (19-35 y) with body mass index (BMI) of 20.0-24.9kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria:

• Breakfast skippers
• Smokers (including e-cigarettes) / cannabis consumers
• Those with BMI < 18.5 and > 24.5 kg/m2
• People with chronic diseases
• People with impaired blood glucose control
• People taking medication that may affect central and peripheral mechanisms of food intake regulation, blood glucose control, cognitive performance and sedative medication.
• People with intellectual disabilities (excluded due to their inability to comprehend hedonic and visual analogue scales used in the study).
• People with food allergies or gastrointestinal disorders (e.g., IBS and others).