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According to an American study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1988, apple pectin showed promising results in improving glucose control after pectin supplementation. In the study, the diets of 12 patients with type 2 diabetes were supplemented with 20 g of apple pectin a day. The study showed that pectin supplementation improved glucose tolerance, as measured by three-hour incremental changes in glucose after a test meal, by 19.8%. |
A 1977 study published in Annals of Internal Medicine by researchers at the Medical Research Council of the Gastroenterology Department in London, England, compared the effects of pectin and guar gum on glucose levels after meals in four healthy volunteers. The results showed that both substances lead to significant reductions in glucose levels. |
In 2010, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) endorsed the public health claim that "The consumption of pectins helps reduce the increase in blood glucose levels after a meal." Researchers believe that the positive effect of pectin on glucose levels after meals is mainly due to its ability to reduce the rate of gastric emptying, which, in turn, slows the release of glucose into the bloodstream. Pectin can also increase the thickness of the intestinal mucous layer, which directly reduces glucose absorption in the intestine. |