THE EFFECT OF MUESLI OR CORNFLAKES AT BREAKFAST ON CARBOHYDRATE-METABOLISM IN TYPE-2 DIABETIC-PATIENTS

Fourteen overweight insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients ate a breakfast, consisting of either muesli (slow release starch: SRS) or cornflakes (fast release starch: FRS), in either case with milk (46 g carbohydrate), during two consecutive randomized crossover periods of two weeks. The rest of the diet remained unchanged. At the end of each period the patients underwent a glucose tolerance test after an overnight fast without their usual evening insulin injection. Both mean plasma glucose response curves were identical after the two dietary periods, but plasma insulin was significantly lower at zero (-17%, P < 0.05) and 2 h (-21%, P < 0.05) at the end of the muesli (SRS) period as compared to the cornflakes (FRS) period. The mean day-long plasma glucose level (four measurements) at the end of the muesli period was 21% (P = 0.023) lower than after the cornflakes period. These results show that switching, at breakfast only, from standard cereals to slow release starch cereals improves the carbohydrate metabolism of diabetic patients. In addition, the fact that diabetic patients could reduce their insulin requirement (P < 0.05) with concomitant reduction of their daily blood glucose level implies that sensitivity to insulin was improved by slow release starch foods consumed at breakfast.