Scientists from the North Caucasus Federal University (NCFU) have recently proposed a new technology for producing wheat-based products specifically for patients with diabetes.
According to the research authors, products made using this technology can lower blood sugar levels, boost the immune system, and help control hunger. The research results were published during a series of IOP conferences on Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Diabetes is a chronic disorder that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin produced. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diabetes is one of the four major non-communicable diseases, with a rising global prevalence, and is a significant cause of reduced life expectancy.
Regular bread increases blood sugar levels. (Illustrative image).
According to NCFU scientists, regular bread raises blood sugar levels, which is why diabetic patients must strictly limit their bread intake.
The scientific community has proposed two solutions to this problem: one is to completely eliminate wheat products, or to modify the bread recipe by incorporating bioactive compounds that reduce glucose levels and regulate lipid-carbohydrate metabolism.
With the second option, NCFU scientists, along with colleagues from Volgograd State Medical University, have developed crisp bread with a low glycemic index, designed for insulin-dependent diabetes patients and individuals with compromised immune systems following COVID-19.
To create these breads, researchers replaced wheat flour with a mixture of corn flour and green bean flour, while also adding postbiotic bioactive compounds (found in kombucha, a type of fermented tea).
The authors note that postbiotics are byproducts of the fermentation process of probiotic bacteria, which help restore gut microbiota and positively impact immune function and metabolism.
“Due to the high content of bioactive compounds in the product, its use helps enhance the immune system by inhibiting pathogenic microorganisms, improving metabolic processes, reducing glucose levels by preventing vitamin and trace element deficiencies, and alleviating the burden on the pancreas,” said Associate Professor Valeria Orobinskaya from the Department of Food Technology and Commodity Science at NCFU, one of the study’s authors.
