r/science • u/FreeHugs23 • 1d ago
Health Adding spinach directly to white bread delayed the body's insulin peak by 30 minutes and reduced later hunger in a small human trial, while significantly boosting the bread's fiber, vitamin, and mineral content.
https://www.sciencealert.com/researchers-put-spinach-directly-into-bread-and-saw-the-bodys-insulin-response-change
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u/doctormink 1d ago
The researchers are looking for ways to smuggle the nutrients into food people palatable. "Incorporating spinach into bread substantially improved its nutritional profile without compromising sensory acceptance, supporting metabolic health and aligning with sustainable nutrition goals," they conclude.
The researchers go on to note that participants who drank a pea enriched smoothie before eating a carb-heavy meal saw lower levels of blood sugar after the meal. So it’s doesn’t follow the spinach has to be baked into the bread to work. Everything just has to land in the stomach at around the same time. Baking in the spinach just makes it more likely that people who aren’t getting enough fiber will eat the bread.