Beans, as a source of dietary fiber, increase cholecystokinin and apolipoprotein B48 response to test meals in men

Dry beans lower plasma cholesterol, an effect that has been associated with both the fiber and the protein content of beans. The objective of this stu dy was to determine the acute hormone and lipid responses to a test meal th at contained dry beans as a source of dietary fiber. A crossover design was employed in which men consumed the test meal and a control meal in random order. Both meals contained egg, bread, jelly, orange juice, milk and marga rine. The high fiber meal contained white beans, whereas the low fiber (con trol) meal contained rice and dry milk. The men maintained their normal die tary pattern and fasted overnight before the study days. After a fasting bl ood sample was drawn, the men consumed the test meal and blood samples were collected over the next 6 h. Blood samples were analyzed for cholecystokin in (CCK), insulin and glucose. Plasma was separated into lipoprotein fracti ons and the triglyceride, cholesterol, apolipoprotein (apo) B100 and B48 co ntent of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins determined. Insulin and glucose res ponses did not differ significantly between test meals; however, the CCK re sponse was twice as high after the bean-containing meal than after the low fiber meal (P = 0.03). The increase in apo B48 concentration was significan tly higher after the bean meal than after the low fiber meal (P < 0.05). Ad ding beans to a meal to increase fiber content prolongs the postprandial pr esence of intestinally derived lipoproteins and augments the CCK response t o the meal.