Blood glucose and serum insulin responses to breakfast including guar gum and cooked or uncooked milk in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic patients

Summary The post-prandial blood glucose and serum insulin responses to test meals, each including 300 ml fat-free milk taken separately with the meal or premixed before cooking into the meal consisting of oatmeal porridge, were studied in 10 diet-treated Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic subjects. The modifying effect of guar gum on the responses was also studied by supplementing both types of test meals with 5 g granulated guar gum taken at the beginning of the meal. The blood glucose response was higher after the meal which contained cooked milk than after the respective meal with milk taken separately. The guar gum supplementation attenuated the blood glucose response after the meals, but the effect was more pronounced after the meal containing cooked milk. Post-prandial serum insulin responses were similar after all test meals. The results suggest that cooking may facilitate the absorption of lactose from milk-containing foods, and that supplementation with guar gum may counteract this response.