New pulse ingredient for bread shows satisfying results

Researchers from King’s College London School of Life Course and Population Sciences (SLCPS) and the Quadram Institute have looked into replacing regular wheat flour with ‘cellular chickpea flour’ to find out the effects on feelings of fullness, fullness-regulating hormones, insulin and blood sugar levels. The research has been published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study is based on the design of a pulse ingredient known as PulseON by PulseON Foods, which is being commercialised for use in the food industry.

The consumption of foods such as chickpeas, lentils and beans has been known to support weight maintenance and decrease the risk of heart disease. The fibre structure of the pulses provides a lot of these benefits, compared to normal mill flour that generally reduces the beneficial effects of fibre structure.

By developing new methods in food technology, the scientists have been able to make whole cell flours that preserve the dietary fibre structure of the pulses, keeping their nutritional qualities intact in flour-based food.

By adding whole cell chickpea flour to bread, the scientists found a significant increase in the satiety signals released from the gut to the brain, leaving people feeling fuller.

Use of cellular flour also led to a slower breakdown of starch during digestion, with the scientists finding that bread containing 30% cellular chickpea flour reduced blood glucose levels by as much as 40% compared to regular white wheat flour bread.

Results showed that switching to a cellular chickpea blend in commercial bread recipes may improve feelings of fullness, helping to avoid overeating. It may also contribute to a lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Further research is needed to show the effects of regularly eating these foods in the management of healthy body weight or diabetes. The researchers are now aiming to set up a larger scale trial.

“We have long known that the structure of food can have a big impact on its nutritional value. This study is a promising example of how new ingredient structures can be used successfully to improve the metabolic and fullness effects of everyday food products. We hope that our findings will attract interest from food producers looking to improve the health credentials of their products,” said Cathrina Edwards, senior author of the paper.

The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, part of UK Research & Innovation.

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