Some pearl millet-based foods promote satiety or reduce glycaemic response in a crossover trial.

In a previous trial in Mali, we showed that traditional pearl millet couscous and thick porridge delayed gastric emptying (about 5 h half-emptying times) in a normal-weight population compared with non-traditional carbohydrate-based foods (pasta, potatoes, white rice; about 3 h half-emptying times), and in a gastric simulator we showed millet couscous had slower digestion than wheat couscous. In light of these findings, we tested the hypothesis in a normal-weight US population (n 14) that millet foods would reduce glycaemic response (continuous glucose monitor), improve appetitive sensations (visual analogue scale ratings), as well as reduce gastric emptying rate (13C-octanoic acid breath test). Five carbohydrate-based foods (millet couscous - commercial and self-made, millet thick porridge, wheat couscous, white rice) were fed in a crossover trial matched on available carbohydrate basis.