Slow-release carbohydrates: growing evidence on metabolic responses and public health interest. Summary of the symposium held at the 12th European Nutrition Conference (FENS 2015)

• Published in: Food & nutrition research Vol. 60; no. 1; p. 31662
• Main Authors: Vinoy, Sophie, Laville, Martine, Feskens, Edith J M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sweden Taylor & Francis 01.01.2016; Swedish Nutrition Foundation, SNF; Swedish Nutrition Foundation; Co-Action Publishing
• Subjects: Afdeling Humane voeding; carbohydrate quality; Carbohydrates; Cardiovascular diseases; cereal foods; Chair Nutrition and Health over the Lifecourse; Diabetes mellitus; Diet; Digestibility; Food; Food consumption; Global Nutrition; Glucose; glycaemic index; glycaemic response; Health risks; HNE Nutrition and Health over the Lifecourse; HNE Voeding en Gezondheid in de Levenscyclus; Hormones; Human Nutrition; Human Nutrition & Health; Human Nutrition (HNE); Humane Voeding; Humane Voeding & Gezondheid; Hyperglycemia; Life Sciences; metabolic disease prevention; Metabolic disorders; Metabolic response; Metabolism; Nutrition; Physiological effects; Public health; R&D; Research & development; Risk analysis; Risk factors; slow appearance; slowly digestible starch; stable isotope tracers; Starch; starch digestibility; VLAG; Wereldvoeding; slow appearance; glycaemic response; cereal foods; metabolic disease prevention; slowly digestible starch; carbohydrate quality; glycaemic index; stable isotope tracers; starch digestibility
• ISSN: 1654-6628; 1654-661X; 1654-661X
• DOI: 10.3402/fnr.v60.31662

To draw attention to the necessity of considering differences in the digestibility of carbohydrates, and more specifically of starch, a symposium was held at the 12th European Nutrition Conference (FENS), which took place in Berlin from October 20 to 23, 2015. The purpose of this session was to present the consolidated knowledge and recent advances regarding the relationship between slow-release carbohydrates, metabolic responses, and public health issues. Three main topics were presented: 1) the definition of, sources of, and recognised interest in the glycaemic response to slowly digestible starch (SDS); 2) clinical evidence regarding the physiological effects of slow-release carbohydrates from cereal foods; and 3) interest in reducing the postprandial glycaemic response to help prevent metabolic diseases. Foods with the highest SDS content induce the lowest glycaemic responses, as the starch is protected from gelatinisation during processing. In humans, high-SDS food consumption induces slower glucose release, lower postprandial insulinaemia, and stimulation of gut hormones. Moreover, postprandial hyperglycaemia is an independent risk factor for type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, given the plausible aetiologic mechanisms, we argue that postprandial glucose levels are relevant for health and disease and represent a meaningful target for intervention, for example, through dietary factors. This symposium was organised by Mondelez International R&D.