Effects of high-bran bread on blood glucose control in insulin-dependent diabetic patients.

The purpose of these studies was to determine whether rye bran, baked into crisp bread (high-bran bread), would affect the blood glucose levels and insulin requirements in insulin-dependent diabetic patients. The high-bran bread was compared with a low-bran bread (series I) and with the usual bread in the patients' diet (series II). The low-bran bread contained 5% dietary fiber, the high-bran bread 18% and the usual bread in the patient's diet 4% as a mean (enzymatic method). In series I five women consumed the low-bran bread for two weeks and then changed to the high-bran bread for four weeks. In series II two men and five women consumed their usual bread during a control period of two weeks and high-bran during the following two weeks. The insulin doses were reduced or the blood glucose concentrations were lowered during the high-bran bread periods.