Prevention of postprandial hyperglycemia by the combination of a staple food and a side dish

Objective: The degree of postprandial blood glucose level elevations varies depending on the choice of staple food; foods with a low glycemic index (GI) produce a slow elevation of postprandial blood glucose level, and blood glucose elevations can be slowed by adding dietary fiber to staple food. This study was conducted to assess the effects of various combinations of a staple food (carbohydrate) and a side dish on changes in postprandial blood glucose level, with the aim to develop a method of reducing glycation stress. Results: In the subjects exhibiting a blood glucose elevation of AUC ≥ 5,000 after eating cooked rice, the postprandial blood glucose levels observed after taking each of 9 staple foods were compared. A comparison of postprandial blood glucose levels following ingestion of udon (thick Japanese wheat flour noodle) + side dish revealed that ingestion of udon + salad produced slower blood glucose level elevations and a smaller AUC than udon taken alone (p = 0.029). Udon + soft boiled egg produced a smaller AUC than udon taken alone (p = 0.023). Udon supplemented with dietary fiber produced a smaller AUC than cooked rice (p = 0.040). Udon topped with braised meat and eggplant produced a smaller AUC than udon taken alone (p = 0.034). A comparison of postprandial blood glucose levels following ingestion of cooked rice + side dish revealed that a bowl of rice topped with braised meat and eggplant produced a smaller AUC than cooked rice taken alone (p 0.1). Conclusion: A combination of a staple food and a side dish may be more effective than low-GI foods in suppressing glycation stress. Not only choice of low-GI foods, but also choice of side dishes is important to the suppression of meal-related glycation stress.