Abstract

Background and Objectives: Postprandial hyperglycaemia is a modifiable risk factor, even in healthy adults, and dietary strategies to attenuate postprandial glycaemic excursions are of clinical interest. This study investigated whether mulberry leaf and water chestnut husk tea (MW tea) attenuates postprandial and second-meal glycaemic responses in adults. Methods and Study Design: This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study with a washout period of at least one week examined the effects of MW tea consumption on postprandial and second-meal glycaemic responses. Twenty healthy adults consumed MW or placebo tea in a randomised crossover sequence before breakfast. Interstitial glucose levels were continuously monitored using flash glucose monitoring (FreeStyle Libre Pro). The primary outcome was the incremental area under the curve (ΔIAUC) of interstitial glucose after breakfast, and the secondary outcome was the ΔIAUC after lunch (second meal). Results: Significant intervention-by-time interactions were observed after both breakfast and lunch (second meal). The IAUC of interstitial glucose after breakfast (primary outcome) and lunch (secondary outcome) differed between the MW and placebo tea conditions. Compared with placebo tea, MW tea was associated with attenuated postprandial interstitial glucose responses after both breakfast and lunch, as quantified by ΔIAUC, with effect sizes ranging from moderate to large and achieved statistical power (1−β) generally in the moderate-to-high range. Conclusions: These findings suggest that a single intake of MW tea may attenuate postprandial and second-meal glycaemic responses in healthy adults. These findings should be interpreted with caution and require further confirmation.

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