Effect of buckwheat bread with added psyllium on blood glucose

Dietary fibres such as psyllium are known to improve postprandial glycaemic control; yet data on their incorporation into buckwheat-based products are limited. This study evaluated the effect of psyllium supplementation in buckwheat bread on postprandial glycaemic response in healthy adults, thereby complementing existing evidence on functional fibre-enriched foods. In this non-randomised crossover trial, nineteen participants consumed two types of buckwheat bread (plain and psyllium-enriched) on consecutive days after a 12-hour fast. Each portion provided 25 g of available carbohydrates. Capillary blood glucose was measured at baseline (0 min) and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min post-consumption. Normality was verified by the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test (p > 0.05). Between-bread comparisons at each time point were performed using independent samples t-tests, while within-bread time effects were analysed by repeated-measures ANOVA with Bonferroni correction. Blood glucose peaked at 30 min for both breads and declined thereafter. The psyllium-enriched bread resulted in significantly lower glucose levels at 45 min than the plain bread (mean difference was –11.26 mg·dl-1; p = 0.016). Significant time effects were observed for both breads (p < 0.001; effect size ηp2 = 0.995–0.996). Psyllium enrichment enhanced glycaemic control, supporting its use as a functional ingredient in buckwheat-based foods.