E. Gatti et al., DIFFERENTIAL EFFECT OF UNSATURATED OILS AND BUTTER ON BLOOD-GLUCOSE AND INSULIN-RESPONSE TO CARBOHYDRATE IN NORMAL VOLUNTEERS, European journal of clinical nutrition, 46(3), 1992, pp. 161-166
Plasma glucose and insulin responses were monitored in normal voluntee
rs after a standard carbohydrate meal with unsaturated oils (olive and
corn oil, in identical volumes) or butter. Both unsaturated oils almo
st totally blunted the glycaemic response; butter, instead, only delay
ed the plasma glucose rise, without significantly changing the area un
der the curve. The insulin rise was essentially unaffected by the thre
e experimental meals, only a slight delay in the peak being observed w
ith no differences between unsaturated oils and butter. These findings
support previous data indicating reduced glucose levels after prolong
ed administration of olive oil, and reduced glycaemic response, in the
absence of clear-cut insulin changes, differentiates unsaturated oils
from indigestible fibres; it may be linked to an altered polysacchari
de handling at the intestinal level.