Guar by-product improves carbohydrate tolerance in healthy human subjects

Guar gum possesses distinct hypoglycemic properties. The other fraction of the guar bean, guar by-product (GBP), was studied to determine if it possesses any hypoglycemic properties. When 25 g GBP or wheat bran were consumed with a carbohydrate test meal by 10 healthy subjects, at 15 and 30 min after the GBP test meal significantly lower normalized plasma glucose responses were measured. Postprandial plasma insulin responses were similar after both test meals. During the first 60 min postprandially, the mean integrated plasma glucose response area was significantly lower after the GBP test meal. These data indicate that GBP, like guar gum, possesses hypoglycemic properties; because of the different chemical characteristics of these 2 guar bean fractions, it seems that their hypoglycemic properties are due probably to different mechanisms.