Background/Aims: Obesity and diabetes are highly prevalent in NZ and other Western countries, and both conditions are linked with impaired glucose control. Antioxidants have been identified as having the ability to regulate plasma glucose levels, but the effects of specific high-antioxidant foods on plasma glucose levels have not been well characterised.
Methods: Ten healthy individuals were recruited into a non-randomised, non-blinded pilot study. Participants were asked to consume various high-antioxidant foods 10 mins prior to 50g of available carbohydrate from either glucose or white bread after an overnight fast. All antioxidant foods were matched for total antioxidant content. Blood glucose levels were measured using capillary sampling every 15 mins for two hours, and the area under the glucose curve (AUC) measured. The AUC values for the test foods were compared to the glucose-only and bread-only controls.
Results: Green Tea and Propolis were both strong glycemic modulators, significantly decreasing the AUC by 25-31% compared to the glucose-only or white bread controls (all p < 0.05). Blueberries significantly decreased the AUC by 19% compared to the glucose control, but was not significantly different to the bread control.
Conclusions: Certain high antioxidant foods are able to reduce the AUC of glucose and white bread; thus they may offer a potential means by which glycemic control could be managed in individuals who have impaired glucose control.
Funding Source: This study was funded by in part by Manuka Health Ltd, and in part by Waiairki Institute of Technology.