Interesting New Use for White Kidney Bean Extract

By CP Staff

A new study investigated the effect of a white kidney bean supplement on the glycemic index of food. The glycemic index is a measurement that is used to evaluate the effect that carbohydrate ingestion has on blood sugar levels. Carbohydrates with a high glycemic index release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream, whereas foods with a low glycemic index release glucose gradually into the bloodstream.

Generally, a lower glycemic index is associated with a decrease in the demand for insulin. Long-term diets that consist of eating foods with a low glycemic index are associated with a decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which is the most common form of diabetes. In fact, type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90-95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes in adults.

Previous research has found that a white kidney bean supplement can inhibit the enzyme known as alpha-amylase that breaks down complex carbohydrates, which may decrease the glycemic index of some starch containing foods when the kidney bean extract is combined with the test meal. In this new study, investigators analyzed the effect of adding a white kidney bean extract known as Phase 2^® to white bread, a food used as the standard for measuring glycemic index due to its high glucose content. In this randomized study, 13 subjects were given white bread alone or white bread plus the white kidney bean supplement on 6 occasions. The white kidney bean supplement was given in varying dosages of 1,500 mg, 2,000 mg and 3,000 mg. Each dose was administered in either capsule or powder form. Blood sugar levels were then monitored in the subjects to calculate the glycemic index.

The results showed that the white kidney bean supplement in powder form at a dose of 3,000 mg significantly reduced the glycemic index of white bread by 34 percent. The capsules given at a dose of 3,000 mg also reduced the GI index but by a lower amount.

The study authors concluded, “White bean extract appears to be a novel and potentially effective method for reducing the glycemic index of existing foods without modifying their ingredient profile.”

Reference:

Udani JK, Singh BB, Barrett ML, Preuss HG. Lowering the glycemic index of white bread using a white bean extract. Nutr J. 2009 Oct 28;8:52.

Phase 2 capsules can be opened and the contents mixed into high-glycemic food.