Pulse Intake Improves Nutrient Density among US Adult Consumers.

The objective was to examine trends in pulse (dry beans, dry peas, chickpeas and lentils) intake over a 10-year period and to compare nutrient intakes of pulse consumers and non-consumers to better understand the impact of pulse consumption on diet quality in the US population. NHANES 2003-2014 data for respondents (≥19 years) with 2 days of intake was used to evaluate trends in pulse intake. Pulse consumers were identified as those NHANES respondents who consumed pulses on one or both days. Differences in energy adjusted nutrient intakes between non-consumers and consumers were assessed. There were no significant trends in pulse intakes for the total population or for pulse consumers over the 10-year period. In 2013-2014, approximately 27% of adults consumed pulses with an intake of 70.9 ± 2.5 g/day over 2 days, just slightly <0.5 cup equivalents/day. At all levels of consumption, consumers had higher (p < 0.01) energy adjusted intakes of fiber, folate, magnesium. Higher energy adjusted intakes for potassium, zinc, iron and choline and lower intakes of fat were observed for consumers than for non-consumers at intakes ≥69.4 ± 1.01 g/day. These data suggest that pulse consumption in the US population may result in better diet quality with diets that are more nutrient dense than those without pulses.

Acute effects of extruded pea fractions on glycemic response, insulin, appetite, and food intake in healthy young adults, results of a double-blind, randomized crossover trial.

Benefits of pulse consumption on glycemic control are well established; however, research examining the effects of pulse fractions incorporated into extruded products is limited. In a randomized, repeated-measures crossover study, adults (n = 26) consumed cereals made with oat flour (control), oat flour and pea starch (starch), oat flour and pea protein (protein), oat flour, pea starch and pea protein (starch+protein), oat flour, pea fibre and pea protein (fibre+protein), and pea fibre, pea starch and pea protein (fibre+starch+protein). Blood glucose (BG) and insulin concentrations, and appetite incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were calculated before (0-120 min) and after (120-200 min) the ad libitum meal for measurement of food intake. Pre-meal, overall mean BG and iAUC were lower following the protein, starch+protein, protein+fibre, and the fibre+starch+protein cereals compared with the starch and control. For pre-meal overall mean insulin concentrations, fibre+protein led to a lower response compared with control, starch+protein, and protein cereals. Fibre+starch+protein also led to lower insulin compared with protein cereal. Pre-meal insulin iAUC was lower following fibre+protein compared with control and protein cereals. The inclusion of yellow pea protein and fibre in oat-based breakfast cereal reduces postprandial glycemia; however this effect is dependent on fraction type. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02366572. Novelty: Inclusion of pulse protein and fibre in oat flour-based breakfast cereal reduces postprandial glucose response. The glycemic benefits of whole pulses are at least somewhat retained in some pulse fractions.

Acute effects of extruded pulse snacks on glycemic response, insulin, appetite, and food intake in healthy young adults in a double blind, randomized, crossover trial.

Research indicates that the postprandial glycemic benefits of consuming whole pulses are retained when consumed in a mixed meal, pureed, and ground into flours. The glycemic benefits of pulse flours when incorporated into extruded products are unknown. In a randomized, repeated-measures crossover study, adults (n = 26) consumed extruded corn snacks made with the addition of 40% pulse flour from either whole yellow pea, split yellow pea, green lentil, chickpea, or pinto bean. The control snack was 100% corn. Food intake was measured with an ad libitum meal consumed at 120 min. Blood glucose (BG), insulin and appetite were measured regularly before (pre-meal, 0-120 min) and after (post-meal, 140-200 min) the meal. Pinto bean and chickpea snacks led to lower (p < 0.05) pre-meal BG incremental area under the curve (iAUC), compared with control, whole yellow pea and green lentil snacks. Pinto bean snack also led to lower (pre-meal BG (p < 0.05) and insulin (p < 0.05) iAUC compared with control, whole yellow pea, and split yellow pea snacks. There were no differences in food intake or appetite. These findings indicate that effects of replacing corn with pulse flours in extruded snacks on BG, and insulin are dependent on pulse type. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02402504. Registered on 30 March 2015. Novelty: The incorporation of pinto bean and chickpea flour into extruded corn snacks improves postprandial glycemic response. Pulse containing snacks were equally as palatable as the corn snacks. The incorporation of pulses into corn snacks increased the protein and fibre content.

Positioning the Value of Dietary Carbohydrate, Carbohydrate Quality, Glycemic Index, and GI Labelling to the Canadian Consumer for Improving Dietary Patterns.

The objectives of this qualitative study was to: (1) understand Canadian consumers' knowledge and perception of dietary carbohydrates, carbohydrate quality, and the glycemic index (GI); and (2) determine Canadian's receptiveness to GI labelling to assist with identifying and consuming foods of higher carbohydrate quality. Focus groups were recruited in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal and grouped according to body mass index (BMI) (NBW, normal body weight; PO, previously obese; and OW/OB, overweight/obese) and diagnosis with prediabetes and diabetes (PO (Vancouver) and OW/OB (Montreal and Toronto). Subjects in all groups linked excess consumption of carbohydrate with weight gain. PO and OW/OB groups were conflicted between perceived negative consequences and feelings of pleasure associated with carbohydrate consumption. Subjects were largely unfamiliar with the term 'carbohydrate quality', but were often associated with classifying carbohydrates as 'good' or 'bad'. The concept of the GI resonated well across groups after exposure to corresponding educational materials. However, NBW groups largely felt that the GI was irrelevant to their dietary choices as they did not have a history of diabetes. PO and OW/OB groups associated the GI with diabetes management. The concept of a GI labelling program to help facilitate healthier carbohydrate choices was well received across all groups, especially when the low GI was interpreted as giving permission to consume foods they enjoyed eating. Results suggest that the GI could be used as a consumer-facing labelling program in Canada and assist with de-stigmatizing carbohydrate foods by helping to facilitate the consumption of carbohydrate foods that align with healthy dietary patterns.

Enhancing nutrition with pulses: defining a recommended serving size for adults.

Pulses, defined as dry-harvested leguminous crops, include several varieties of beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas. There is no consensus around a recommended serving size of pulses within a balanced diet, which prevents the development of transregional strategies that rely on consistent messaging to drive increases in consumption. The purpose of this review is to define and disseminate an appropriate target for a minimum serving size of pulses on any given day that can be used in international or collaborative strategies to promote the consumption of pulses. Relevant data were reviewed to examine dietary guidelines across jurisdictions, determine consumption levels of pulses across the globe, evaluate the nutritional composition of pulses in the context of dietary nutrient insufficiency, and assess the impact of pulses on dietary quality. Across a variety of pulses, 100 g of cooked pulses aligned with most regional serving sizes for pulses and provides significant levels of nutrients that are underconsumed by specific age-sex groups. Moreover, 100 g of pulses provides a number of nutrients that qualify for nutrient content claims under regional regulatory frameworks. The data demonstrate that 100 g or 125 mL (0.5 metric cup) of cooked pulses is a reasonable target for aligning strategies that promote the dietary and nutritional attributes of these legumes.

Collaboration among sectors to increase pulse consumption.

The United Nations declaration of 2016 as the International Year of Pulses (IYP) provided an unprecedented opportunity to showcase pulses on the global stage for their contribution to affordable nutrition, health, and sustainability. Despite the IYP's successes in stakeholder engagement, continuing to foster and strengthen partnerships and collaborations is necessary to meet the IYP goals of increased pulse production and consumption for human benefit. Shifting consumer behavior to increase pulse consumption emerged during IYP meetings as a shared priority for all stakeholders. Focusing on this shared priority provides an opportunity to strengthen collaboration among all stakeholder groups for research, education, marketing, and ingredient/food production. Although the IYP officially closed at the end of 2016, the pulse community has an opportunity to continue building successful collaborations. The future research agenda can foster increased pulse production and consumption to address global nutrition, health, and sustainability challenges, provided that it is developed with multisectorial perspectives and cross-disciplinary collaborations. But, most importantly, the research agenda for pulses must be centered more deliberately on the end consumer and how to drive shifts in behavior toward increased pulse consumption, as this is the common shared priority around which all stakeholders can rally.

Biological response of hepatomas to an extract of Fagopyrum esculentum M. (buckwheat) is not mediated by inositols or rutin.

Buckwheat contains d-chiro-inositol (D-CI) and myo-inositol (MI), possible insulin-mimetic compounds; thus, this study investigated the insulin-mimetic activities of a buckwheat concentrate (BWC), D-CI, and MI on insulin signal transduction pathways and glucose uptake with H4IIE rat hepatoma cells. BWC stimulated phosphorylation of p42/44 extracellular-related kinase (p42/44 ERK) and its downstream target, p70(S6K), on Thr(421). In contrast, D-CI, MI, rutin, or its agylcone form, quercetin, did not activate these signal transduction proteins. Phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), another target of insulin, was also up-regulated upon BWC treatment. The effects of BWC on glucose uptake were subsequently investigated using H4IIE cells. Insulin and D-CI stimulated glucose uptake, whereas BWC inhibited basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake. Although results from this work suggest that BWC has insulin-mimetic effects on select protein phosphorylation events in H4IIE cells, D-CI and MI were not the active components responsible for the observed effects. The inhibition of glucose uptake by BWC suggests that buckwheat may affect hepatic glucose metabolism, possibly by inhibiting glucose flux. Furthermore, the fact that D-CI and MI stimulated glucose uptake in H4IIE cells suggests that other compounds are responsible for inhibition of glucose uptake by BWC.

Consumption of dry beans, peas, and lentils could improve diet quality in the US population.

The US Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid guidelines introduced a near doubling of the dietary recommendations for vegetables. These recommendations target specific subgroups of vegetables, including dry beans and peas. Dry beans and peas provide an array of nutrients and phytochemicals that have been shown to have beneficial health effects, yet consumption levels in the United States are quite low. Few studies have examined the influence of legume consumption on nutrient intakes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess nutrient and food group intakes of dry bean and pea consumers compared to nonconsumers. Dietary intake data from the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for adults aged > or =19 years was used. Results show that on any given day only 7.9% of adults are consuming dry beans and peas; Mexican Americans or other Hispanics are more likely to be consumers than nonconsumers. Consuming approximately (1/2) c dry beans or peas resulted in higher intakes of fiber, protein, folate, zinc, iron, and magnesium with lower intakes of saturated fat and total fat. These data support the specific recommendation for dry beans and peas as part of the overall vegetable recommendation. Increased consumption of dry beans and peas-economical and nutrient-rich foods-could improve the diet quality of Americans.