Impacts of High-Fiber Snack on Satiety Hormonal Responses and Glucose Homeostasis in Healthy Volunteers

Background: Dietary fiber decreases the glycemic index and produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that will affect gastrointestinal hormone secretion, such as glucagon-like peptide- 1 (GLP-1) and peptide YY (PYY). This study investigated the effects of high-fiber snacks on the glycemic index (GI), GLP-1, PYY, and ghrelin secretions. Materials and Methods: The study involved ten participants who received both 42 g of tested snack and glucose solution as a standard by washout period for a week. The standard glucose was prepared by dissolving 50 g of glucose powder in 200 mL of water (200 kcal), while 42 g of snack (195.8 kcal) containing 11.70% fiber from arrowroot, pumpkin, sweet potato, and cassava. The blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after consuming snacks or standard glucose. Results: The GI of the tested snack is 69.14, which is categorized as medium. The area under the glucose curve of the tested snack was lower compared to standard glucose (p= <0.001), and the plasma glucose was lower than standard glucose. Compared to standard glucose, the tested snacks had the area under the insulin curve lower than standard glucose, but it was not statistically significant (p= 0.082). No statistically significant difference was also found in the GLP-1, PYY and ghrelin concentrations between both standard glucose and tested snack intervention (p= 0.948). Conclusion: Our results suggest that consuming high-fiber snacks with a medium glycemic index may have no effect on GLP-1, PYY, and ghrelin, otherwise, it could improve glucose and insulin homeostasis.