Acute Effects of Dried Apple Consumption on Metabolic and Cognitive Responses in Healthy Individuals

The objective of this study was to assess the potential of dried apple to regulate acute blood glucose, insulin, satiety, and total plasma antioxidant levels, and to explore the effect of dried apple on cognitive responses. Twenty-one healthy, normal-weight subjects completed the study which used a randomized crossover design with repeated measures. After a fast of 10 h, a standardized serving size of either dried apple or muffins was consumed. Blood glucose, insulin, and antioxidant concentrations were measured at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min postprandial, and satiety was assessed every 15 min for 2 h. Cognitive tests were administered before and 2 h after consumption of the test food. The dried apple had significantly higher phenolic content and antioxidant activities than the muffin (P ≤ .05). Consumption of the dried apples produced significantly lower glucose concentrations at 30- (P ≤ .01; 95% CI [2.93-16.64]), 45- (P ≤ .02; 95% CI [2.41-17.88]), 60- (P ≤ .02; 95% CI [2.10-14.56]), and 120-min (P ≤ .01; 95% CI [8.16-16.80]) time points, and significantly lower (P ≤ .03; 95% CI [0.60-8.70]) insulin concentrations at a 15-min time point than the muffins but offered little consistent differences in antioxidant status, satiety, and cognitive function. These findings suggested that the intake of dried apples could reduce postprandial blood glucose and potentially increase the effectiveness of insulin responses in healthy individuals but offered little consistent differences in antioxidant status, satiety, and cognitive function.