Category Archives: Beta glucans

Do We All Respond Differently to β-glucan Fibre? Genetic Individuality

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Robert Barrington

Beta-glucan fibre is a soluble fibre found in a number of cereal grains including oats and barley. It has been suggested that β-glucan fibre is responsible for many of the health effects associated with consumption of these cereal grains. In … Continue reading →

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Oats Lower Cholesterol: Beta-Glucans

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Robert Barrington

Fibre was once considered little more than roughage for the gastrointestinal tract. However, advances in nutritional science has shown fibre to be a complex and heterogeneous group of compounds with diverse effects. Many studies have investigated the effects of various … Continue reading →

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Dates: Sugary, But Good For the Health

Posted on August 23, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Dates are the fruits of the date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera). The tree itself is similar in appearance to the coconut palm, with mature tree reaching a height of around 30 meters. Date are an important Worldwide food and may … Continue reading →

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Do Oats Increase Fat Excretion?

Posted on July 17, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Oats have some interesting physiological properties in humans. Oats have been extensively researched and their effects on plasma cholesterol levels are well studied. Oats are a good source of soluble fibre and this may confer some of the lipid lowering … Continue reading →

Posted in Beta glucans, Cholesterol, Fat, Fibre, Oats (Avena sativa), Weight Loss | Comments Off on Do Oats Increase Fat Excretion?

Medicinal Mushrooms: Immune Modulators

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Robert Barrington

Mushrooms are actually the visible fruiting bodies of fungi, the mycelium (branching vegetative system consisting of hyphae) of which is mostly hidden underground or in decaying vegetable matter. Mushrooms are nutritionally interesting because they are an important source of nutrients … Continue reading →

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More on the Complexity of the Glycaemic Index

Posted on September 24, 2013 by Robert Barrington

he growing intakes of refined carbohydrates is worrying because they are though to contribute to the development of disease through detrimental blood sugar effects. For this reason it is recommended that refined carbohydrates are replaced in the diet with whole … Continue reading →

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More on Beta Glucan

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that fibre is beneficial to the health because it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. This effect may be due to the blood sugar stabilising effects of the fibre which reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome, a known … Continue reading →

Posted in Beta glucans, Cardiovascular Disease, Cholesterol, Fibre, HDL, LDL, Metabolic Syndrome, Weight Loss | Comments Off on More on Beta Glucan

Fibre Does Not Delay Gastric Emptying

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Evidence suggests that high fibre diets can lower postprandial glycaemia. This effect is thought to come from a decrease in the rate of absorption of the digestible component of the carbohydrate, which flattens the blood glucose curve and decreases the … Continue reading →

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Beta Glucans for Weight Loss?

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Robert Barrington

Eating a high fibre diet has been shown in numerous studies to benefit the health, particularly with regard blood sugar control and normal weight maintenance. Soluble dietary fibre has specific gel-forming properties that can slow nutrient absorption and delay gastric … Continue reading →

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Viscosity of Drinks and Gut Hormones

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Robert Barrington

A number of gut peptides are known to be involved in inducing a feeling of satiety and reducing further food intake. Many of theses act locally on the gastrointestinal tract, but others enter circulation and act on the central nervous … Continue reading →

Posted in Beta glucans, Cholecystokinin, Fibre, Ghrelin, Glucagon-like Peptide 1, Peptide YY | Comments Off on Viscosity of Drinks and Gut Hormones