The effect of seaweed enriched bread on carbohydrate digestion and the release of glucose from food

Two seaweeds; Ascophyllum nodosum and Fucus vesiculosus, were incorporated into bread at 0.5 and 2% and their effect on blood glucose in vivo and carbohydrate digestion in vitro were studied. In the five way randomised placebo controlled double blind pilot trial (n = 10) each volunteer consumed 100 g of available carbohydrate (from bread) and their blood glucose was measured over two hours. The breads were tested in a human digestion model and compared against control bread and control bread with the equivalent amount of seaweed. In the pilot human study the enriched breads did not cause any significant reductions in iAUC of blood glucose with average reductions of 0.1 ± 44.4%, 8.2 ± 19.3%, 1.0 ± 54.3% and 2.7 ± 31.9% for 0.5% F.vesiculosus, 0.5% A.nodosum, 2% F.vesiculosus, and 2% A.nodosum respectively. However, seaweed added alongside the control bread in vitro significantly reduced the level of carbohydrate digestion compared to the control bread. F.vesiculosus or A.nodosum can reduce carbohydrate digestion, however baking into bread reduces the effect.