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Key Points NutrInsight • Slow-release carbohydrates: Growing evidence on metabolic responses and public health interest

Figure 11: Changes in fasting plasma total, HDL-, and LDL-cholesterol concentrations, and total/HDL-cholesterol
and LDL-/HDL-cholesterol ratios after five weeks of an ad libitum low glycemic index (GI) (in black; n=19) or high GI
(in white; n=19) diet in overweight subjects. There was no significant difference between the groups at baseline, as assessed
by the Mann-Whitney test. In the low GI group, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol and the total/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-/
HDL-cholesterol ratios decreased significantly compared to baseline values, as determined by a Wilcoxon test (P=0.001,
P=0.01, P=0.003, P<0.001, respectively). No significant differences were found between the groups based on an analysis of
covariance, using the baseline as covariate.
Source: de Rougemont et al., 2007

Beneficial effect of SDS on postprandial blood lipid profiles was also investigated in insulin-resistant subjects.
A clinical trial conducted in non-diabetic insulin-resistant obese subjects showed that consuming a high SDS
cereal product as part of a breakfast induced lower glycemic and insulinemic responses compared to a control
breakfast with a very low SDS content [Harbis et al., 2004]. This confirms the results previously obtained in
healthy subjects with normal glucose tolerance. In addition, this study showed interesting results linking
postprandial carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, as the high SDS breakfast was associated with a lower
postprandial accumulation of both hepatic- and intestinal-derived triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins. This is most
likely related to the lower levels of insulin secretion that were observed.
To conclude, all these promising findings suggest an interest of preserving the SDS content of starchy foods
regarding diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention, and stress the need for longer term studies to
confirm the potential beneficial health effects.

• Use of a sophisticated double labeling technique has demonstrated that a high SDS
content in starchy foods results in a slower rate of appearance of exogenous glucose
(RaE) in the plasma. This provides in vivo confirmation of the relevance of in vitro SDS
measurements.

• This slow release of glucose in plasma induced by a high SDS content in starchy
foods reduces the glycemic response in both healthy and insulin-resistant subjects.

• Some studies suggest an interest of preserving a high SDS content in starchy foods
regarding diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevention. Nevertheless, longer
term studies are needed to conclude specifically on SDS content and health
parameters.

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