Nutritional Bar with Potato-Based Resistant Starch Attenuated Post-Prandial Glucose and Insulin Response in Healthy Adults

Resistant starch is a non-digestible starch fraction and is classified as fiber. Beyond naturally occurring fiber sources, starches can be modified to resist digestion, increase their fiber content and provide physiological benefits. The current study examined acute postprandial glycemic responses of VERSAFIBE (TM) 1490 resistant starch type-4, containing 90% total dietary fiber (TDF, AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Collaboration International) 991.43 method). In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, healthy adults (n = 38) consumed a nutritional bar containing either control (2 g), medium (21 g) or high (30 g) fiber. The test bars were matched with control for available carbohydrates, fat and protein. Venous glucose, insulin, and capillary glucose were measured. Mean +/- SEM capillary glucose incremental area-under-curve (iAUC0)-120 min in min*mmol/L was lower (p < 0.005) for both fiber bars (136.2 +/- 9.2 and 137.0 +/- 10.4 for the medium and high fiber bars, respectively) compared to the control bar (174.9 +/- 13.5). Mean venous insulin iAUC0-120 min in min*pmol/L was also lower for medium (8096.3 +/- 894.5) and high fiber (7533.8 +/- 932.9) bars, respectively, compared to the control bar (11871.6 +/- 1123.9, p < 0.001). Peak capillary glucose and venous insulin concentrations were also significantly reduced (p < 0.001) after consumption of both fiber bars compared to the control bar. The results of this study suggest that nutritional bars containing potato based RS4 fiber reduced post-consumption glycemic and insulinemic responses when consumed by generally healthy adults.