Smoothies and Blood Sugars

Glycaemic responses to fruit smoothies may depend on the food matrix (e.g., degree of processing and physical structure), ingestion rate, dose ingested and fibre content. Furthermore, the method of sampling could alter inferences. The aim of this project is to characterise how these factors affect the glycaemic response to a commercially available fruit smoothie. Participants will ingest 7 different test drinks in a randomised, crossover design with fingerstick capillary blood sampling alongside continuous glucose monitors. Test drinks will include a glucose reference (CONTROL), the commercial product matched for carbohydrate to CONTROL (PRODUCT), equivalent carbohydrate ingested as whole fruits (WHOLE), equivalent carbohydrate ingested as blended fruits (WHOLE), equivalent carbohydrate as the commercial product ingested slowly (SLOW), equivalent carbohydrate as the commercial product ingested with additional fibre (FIBRE), and the commercial product ingested in a dose typically bought (DOSE). These data will provide insight into how the food matrix and different patterns of ingestion can alter the glycaemic response to a fruit smoothie, and how the measurement method may alter interpretations.