Israeli researchers have reenacted the match of white bread against wholemeal bread and the result is surprising. Wholemeal bread had hitherto been favored by nutritionists. A source of complex carbohydrates and rich in fiber, it is known to be the ally of diets and a healthy diet. White bread is seen as a bad choice at the table: it is too salty, has a high glycemic index and is low in fiber and minerals.
However, a new study, conducted by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and published in Cell Metabolism, challenges these ideas. According to scientists, the glycemic response depends on the gut microbiota and everyone reacts differently to a given type of food.
To arrive at this result, the researchers conducted a crossover study on twenty participants. Each underwent a series of examinations: composition of the intestinal microbiota, fasting blood sugar, glucose tolerance test, weight control, blood pressure, blood tests (cholesterol, iron, magnesium, calcium, liver and kidney enzymes ).
Predictable results thanks to microbiota analysis
The scientists divided the subjects into two groups of ten. For a week, the first group consumed industrial white bread and the second whole bread with natural sourdough. Participants did not eat any other wheat-based foods, and bread made up 25% of their calorie intake. After a two week hiatus, the groups were reversed.
As a result, half of the individuals had a higher blood sugar level following the consumption of white bread while the other half had a higher glycemic response with wholemeal bread. The researchers explain that the results were predictable thanks to the analysis of the microbiota and that the dietary recommendations should be personalized.
However, experts come to qualify the results of this study. Susan Jebb, professor of nutrition and public health at the University of Oxford tells the newspaper The Independent that in the absence of full control of the participants’ diet, other factors may have influenced the results. Dr Elizabeth Lund, independent consultant in nutrition and gastrointestinal health, reminds The Independent, that “the beneficial effects of whole seeds can play out in the long term than a one-week study. can show “.
Read also :
Why do we always want to eat?
4 ways to digest better
A diet low in fiber harms the microbiota
