Researchers from San Diego State University report that dried apples could regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin responses in healthy people. For their study, they examined the potential of dried apples to regulate blood sugar, insulin, satiety, and total plasma antioxidant levels, as well as the effect of dried apples on cognitive responses.
In conducting the study, researchers recruited 21 healthy individuals.
The participants were asked to fast for 10 hours.
Then, they ate a standardized serving size of either dried apple or muffins.
The researchers measured their blood glucose, insulin, and antioxidant levels before the intervention and after 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes of consumption of the test food.
They assessed the participants' satiety every 15 minutes for two hours.
The participants also completed cognitive tests before and two hours after consumption of dried apple or muffins.
Dried apple contains more phenolic compounds and had substantially higher antioxidant activities than muffins.
Results also showed that glucose levels were significantly reduced after 30 minutes and onwards of dried apple consumption.
Additionally, lower insulin concentrations were seen after 15 minutes of eating dried apples.
However, consuming dried apples did not significantly affect antioxidant status, satiety, and cognitive function.
These findings, which were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, indicate that consuming dried apples could lower blood sugar levels and potentially improve insulin responses in healthy people.
To read more studies on foods that help regulate blood sugar, visit BloodSugar.news.
Journal Reference:
Sansone K, Kern M, Hong MY, Liu C, Hooshmand S. ACUTE EFFECTS OF DRIED APPLE CONSUMPTION ON METABOLIC AND COGNITIVE RESPONSES IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS. Journal of Medicinal Food. 15 November 2015; 21(11): 1158-1164. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2017.0152