Some pearl millet-based foods promote satiety or reduce glycaemic response in a crossover trial

Abstract

In a previous trial in Mali, we showed that traditional pearl millet couscous and thick porridge delayed gastric emptying (about 5 h half-emptying times) in a normal-weight population compared with non-traditional carbohydrate-based foods (pasta, potatoes, white rice; about 3 h half-emptying times), and in a gastric simulator we showed millet couscous had slower digestion than wheat couscous. In light of these findings, we tested the hypothesis in a normal-weight US population (n 14) that millet foods would reduce glycaemic response (continuous glucose monitor), improve appetitive sensations (visual analogue scale ratings), as well as reduce gastric emptying rate (13C-octanoic acid breath test). Five carbohydrate-based foods (millet couscous – commercial and self-made, millet thick porridge, wheat couscous, white rice) were fed in a crossover trial matched on available carbohydrate basis. Significantly lower overall glycaemic response was observed for all millet-based foods and wheat couscous compared with white rice (P ≤ 0·05). Millet couscous (self-made) had significantly higher glycaemic response than millet couscous (commercial) and wheat couscous (P < 0·0001), but as there were no differences in peak glucose values an extended glycaemic response was indicated for self-made couscous. Millet couscous (self-made) had significantly lower hunger ratings and higher fullness ratings (P < 0·05) than white rice, millet thick porridge and millet couscous (commercial). A normal gastric emptying rate (<3 h half-emptying times) was observed for all foods, with no significant differences among them. In conclusion, some traditionally prepared pearl millet foods show the potential to reduce glycaemic response and promote satiety.

Finger millet-based muffin decreases insulin response in individuals with prediabetes in a randomised controlled trial

“…GE is directly linked to satiety (6) . Factors such as particle characteristics and water content of the foods affect GE (38,39) . The coarsely crushed form of millet may not have released the soluble fibre from the grain to delay GE and increase the feeling of satiety in this study.…”

“…There was no relation between gastric volume measured by MRI and measures of satiety in a study following finger millet porridge consumption in healthy participants (40) . Pearl millet foods have also shown mixed results depending on particle characteristics (38,39) . Whilst a positive correlation between gastric volume and satiety measures was found with the swelling effect of millet flake porridge (38) , no effect on GE was observed with the sieving effect of millet flour porridge (39) .…”

“…Pearl millet foods have also shown mixed results depending on particle characteristics (38,39) . Whilst a positive correlation between gastric volume and satiety measures was found with the swelling effect of millet flake porridge (38) , no effect on GE was observed with the sieving effect of millet flour porridge (39) .…”

Malian Thick Porridges (tô) of Pearl Millet Are Made Thinner in Urban Than Rural Areas and Decrease Satiety

“…If so, strategically promoting the consumption of thicker millet porridges in sub-Saharan Africa may be a means to counteract the rising rates of obesity and related metabolic diseases (by decreasing food intake). Furthermore, millet has a slow carbohydrate digestion property [22][23][24][25] related to its starch structure 22 and phenolic content, 26 which augment its role as a health-promoting food.…”

Novel pearl millet couscous process for West African markets using a low‐cost single‐screw extruder

“…Millet foods, including couscous, porridges and beverages, are popular with consumers and there are market opportunities for high‐quality competitive products in urban centres in West Africa. More broadly, there seems to be renewed interest in pearl millet foods for their health properties and their processed products (Dias‐Martins et al ., 2018; Rani et al ., 2018), including that millet products are associated with a satiety response (Hayes et al ., 2021).…”