GI Symbol News with Alan Barclay

Oh what a difference your bread choice can make!

Alan Barclay

‘A lack of satisfying, filling foods is a hurdle for many people when trying to maintain a balanced, healthy diet. There are a lot of diets and food fads that claim to improve satiety – which is why we were keen to conduct a study in this area,’ said Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller. ‘We found that your daily bread choice can play a role in satisfying hunger and decreasing food intake at a subsequent meal.’

Researchers in the Human Nutrition Unit at Sydney University carried out the lab-based study for George Weston Foods from January–March 2008. Twenty healthy weight (BMI 18-25) volunteers aged 18–45 who were non smokers and had normal glucose tolerance took part in the study. All completed a restrictive-eater questionnaire to ensure only those with normal eating habits were taking part.

On two separate occasions, the researchers randomly asked the volunteers to eat either two slices of Burgen Wholemeal & Seeds bread (83 g) or two slices of standard white sandwich bread (74 g) with margarine and jam and a glass of water as a breakfast meal and rank their feelings of fullness. They also had to list their subsequent meal’s food intake. There was a washout period of at least three days in between test sessions.

The volunteers felt fuller for longer after the Wholemeal and Seeds bread breakfast and, on average, reduced their intake at the next meal by 500 kilojoules (120 cals) and 4 g of fat compared with the standard white bread breakfast. They also had a lower glycemic response to the meal with the low GI (39) Wholemeal and Seeds bread compared with the white bread meal, which may have contributed to keeping hunger pangs at bay. The Wholemeal and Seeds bread is also a good source of dietary fibre and provides protein – both of which may have also helped to provide the greater satiety response.

Email us for more information: alan@gisymbol.com

Contact
Dr Alan W Barclay, PhD
CEO, Glycemic Index Ltd
Phone: +61 2 9785 1037
Mob: +61 (0)416 111 046
Fax: +61 2 9785 1037
Email: mailto:alan@gisymbol.com
Email: alan@gisymbol.com
Website: www.gisymbol.com.au