Blood glucose levels: Rye vs. herb-enriched multigrain bread Original paper

In this nonrandomized controlled trial, consuming a special bread enriched with herbs, compared to rye bread, resulted in lower postmeal glucose and insulin levels in participants with type 2 diabetes.

The effects of rye bread and a special bread enriched with herbs on postprandial (postmeal) glucose and insulin responses in people with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D).

A total of 113 participants, 97 of whom had T2D (average age of 61; 63% men, 37% women).

In this nonrandomized controlled trial, the participants ate 1 slice (50 grams) of rye bread on one day and 1 slice of the special bread on the following day. Two-thirds of the special bread consisted of equal parts buckwheat, oat, and whole wheat flour. It also contained Jerusalem artichoke (13%), cinnamon (5%), fenugreek (3%), basil (2%), garlic (0.5%), and ginger (0.5%).

The participants fasted for 12 hours before each condition. Postprandial glucose and insulin levels were measured before bread consumption and 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after.

In the participants with T2D, overall glucose and insulin levels were lower with the special bread than with the rye bread; the glucose level was lower at 60, 90, and 120 minutes, and the insulin level was lower at 90 and 120 minutes.

In participants without T2D, the overall glucose level was similar between conditions, but the average glucose level at 90 minutes was lower with the special bread than the rye bread. Insulin levels were not measured.

Some limitations of this study were that it was not randomized, and there was no washout period between conditions, so it’s possible that there was a carryover effect (i.e., the consumption of rye bread influenced the postprandial response to the special bread the following day).