Combining functional features of whole-grain barley and legumes for dietary reduction of cardiometabolic risk: a randomised cross-over intervention in mature women.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to assess the effect of a diet including chickpeas, barley, and brown beans on cardiometabolic risk parameters in healthy overweight women.
Results Summary
The diet rich in chickpeas, barley, and brown beans (D1) significantly improved total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, apoB, diastolic blood pressure, and cardiovascular risk estimates compared to the control diet (D2). D1 also increased colonic fermentative activity, indicating potential gut health benefits.
Population
Overweight women aged 50-72 years with normal fasting glycaemia (BMI 25-33 kg/m²).
Effective Dosage
82 g/d chickpeas (as part of D1).
Duration
4 weeks per diet (cross-over design).
Interactions
None mentioned.
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | total cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | had a greater effect on | #1 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | LDL-cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | had a greater effect on | #2 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | apoB levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | reduced | #3 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | γ-glutamyl transferase levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | reduced | #4 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | diastolic blood pressure | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | reduced | #5 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | Framingham cardiovascular risk estimate | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | reduced | #6 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | increase | colonic fermentative activity | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | increased | #7 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | increase | breath hydrogen levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | higher | #8 |
control diet (D2, diet 2 (control diet)) | decrease | serum total cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | decreased | #9 |
control diet (D2, diet 2 (control diet)) | decrease | LDL-cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | decreased | #10 |
control diet (D2, diet 2 (control diet)) | decrease | HDL-cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | decreased | #11 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | serum total cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | decreased | #12 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | LDL-cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | decreased | #13 |
diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) | decrease | HDL-cholesterol levels | forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) | - | decreased | #14 |
The usefulness of dietary strategies against cardiometabolic risk is increasingly being acknowledged. Legumes and whole grains can modulate risk markers associated with cardiometabolic diseases, but their possible additive/synergistic actions are unknown. The objective of the present study was to assess, in healthy subjects, the effect of a diet including specific whole-grain barley products and legumes with prior favourable outcomes on cardiometabolic risk parameters in semi-acute studies. A total of forty-six overweight women (50-72 years, BMI 25-33 kg/m² and normal fasting glycaemia) participated in a randomised cross-over intervention comparing a diet rich in kernel-based barley products, brown beans and chickpeas (D1, diet 1 (functional diet)) with a control diet (D2, diet 2 (control diet)) of similar macronutrient composition but lacking legumes and barley. D1 included 86 g (as eaten)/d brown beans, 82 g/d chickpeas, 58 g/d whole-grain barley kernels and 216 g/d barley kernel bread. Both diets followed the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations, providing similar amounts of dietary fibre (D1: 46·9 g/d; D2: 43·5 g/d), with wheat-based products as the main fibre supplier in D2. Each diet was consumed for 4 weeks under weight-maintenance conditions. Both diets decreased serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol levels, but D1 had a greater effect on total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels (P< 0·001 and P< 0·05, respectively). D1 also reduced apoB (P< 0·001) and γ-glutamyl transferase (P< 0·05) levels, diastolic blood pressure (P< 0·05) and the Framingham cardiovascular risk estimate (P< 0·05). D1 increased colonic fermentative activity, as judged from the higher (P< 0·001) breath hydrogen levels recorded. In conclusion, a specific barley/legume diet improves cardiometabolic risk-associated biomarkers in a healthy cohort, showing potential preventive value beyond that of a nutritionally well-designed regimen.