Pea Soup for Blood Sugar Control

(PEA4 Trial)

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: St. Boniface Hospital

Must not be taking: Corticosteroids, Stomach acid-lowering, Laxatives, others

Disqualifiers: Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Liver disease, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: 3-6 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to explore how different types of pea soups affect blood sugar levels in healthy individuals. Participants will consume soups made from potatoes, whole yellow peas, or split yellow peas, and researchers will measure the impact on blood sugar. It targets those who are generally healthy, eat regular meals, and do not manage chronic conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. As an unphased trial, this study offers participants the chance to contribute to nutritional research that could influence dietary recommendations.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you do not use any prescription or non-prescription drugs, herbal, or nutritional supplements that affect blood sugar or appetite. If you are taking such medications, you may need to stop them to participate.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that split and whole yellow peas are generally safe to eat. In past studies, split yellow peas lowered blood sugar after meals without causing serious side effects. Whole yellow peas also helped manage blood sugar levels.

These studies mainly involved healthy adults, who tolerated the peas well, experiencing no major negative reactions. Any side effects were mild and uncommon.

As food-based treatments, they are usually considered safe, especially if peas are already part of your diet without issues. However, those with allergies or health conditions should consult a healthcare provider before joining a trial. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatments?

Researchers are excited about split yellow pea soup for blood sugar control because it offers a natural dietary approach to managing blood sugar levels, unlike traditional medications such as metformin or insulin. Split yellow peas are rich in fiber and protein, which can help slow down the digestion of carbohydrates, leading to a more gradual rise in blood sugar. This treatment stands out because it leverages a whole food as a method to potentially stabilize blood sugar, providing a simpler and possibly more accessible option for individuals seeking to manage their blood sugar levels through diet.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for blood sugar control?

This trial will compare the effects of different soups on blood sugar control. Research has shown that split yellow peas, which participants in this trial may receive, can help manage blood sugar levels. One study found that pea protein significantly lowered blood sugar in healthy individuals. Another study demonstrated that yellow peas, along with their protein and fiber, reduced blood sugar levels more effectively than other foods. Similarly, whole yellow peas, another treatment option in this trial, have shown promise in controlling blood sugar. Studies found that consuming whole yellow peas led to lower blood sugar and insulin levels after meals. Both split and whole yellow peas appear to help reduce blood sugar spikes, which could be beneficial for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. ^{1 2 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Heather Blewett, PhD

Principal Investigator

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for generally healthy men and women aged 18-40, with a BMI of 18.5-30. They should regularly eat three meals a day and be willing to follow the study's requirements after giving informed consent.

Inclusion Criteria

Habitually consume breakfast, lunch and dinner in the morning, mid-day and evening, respectively.

Body mass index (BMI) 18.5-30.0 kg/m2

Willing/able to comply with the requirements of the study

Exclusion Criteria

Pregnant or lactating

Participation in another clinical trial, current or in the past 4 weeks

My fasting cholesterol is higher than 7.8 mmol/L.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants attend 3 clinic visits in a fasted state to consume soup with or without peas and provide blood samples and questionnaires

3-6 weeks

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any gastrointestinal side effects and overall acceptability of the soup

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Potato soup
• Split yellow pea soup
• Whole yellow pea soup

Trial Overview The study is testing how different types of soup—split yellow pea soup, whole yellow pea soup, and potato soup—affect blood sugar control in healthy individuals.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Whole yellow pea Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Soup containing 25g available carbohydrates from whole yellow peas. Intervention: Whole yellow pea soup

Group II: Split yellow pea Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Soup containing 25g available carbohydrates from split yellow peas. Intervention: Split yellow pea soup

Group III: Potato Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Soup containing 25g available carbohydrates from potatoes. Intervention: Potato soup

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

St. Boniface Hospital

Lead Sponsor

Trials

55

Recruited

15,000+

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Collaborator

Trials

35

Recruited

2,300+

University of Manitoba

Collaborator

Trials

628

Recruited

209,000+

Citations

1. clinicaltrial.be clinicaltrial.be/en/details/76156?per_page=20&only_recruiting=0&enrolling_by_invitation=1&active_not_recruiting=1&completed=0&only_eligible=0&only_active=0

Effect of Peas in Soup on Blood Glucose Control - Clinica... A Randomized, Controlled, Cross-over Trial Examining the Effect of Peas in Soup on Post-prandial Glycaemic Response in Healthy Adults.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8997531/

Acute Effects of Split Pea-Enriched White Pan Bread on ... (2012) observed a significant decrease in the blood glucose concentrations of healthy participants (n = 19) who consumed pea protein (10–20 g) ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02552823

NCT02552823 | Effects of Peas on Blood Glucose Control A health claim for PPGR would increase market demand for peas, and help those who want to limit the rise in blood sugar after a meal choose products to meet ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9863178/

Yellow Pea Pasta Enhances the Saltiness and Suppression of ... We observed that when the same amount of YPP and wheat pasta were eaten, the elevation in blood glucose and insulin secretion was lower after YPP consumption ...

5. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1499267116300922

The Role of Pulses in the Dietary Management of Diabetes The study showed that yellow peas and the combination of pea protein and fibre produced significantly lower PBGRs compared to the control (69% and 66% of the ...

6. clinicaltrial.be clinicaltrial.be/en/details/76156?per_page=100&only_recruiting=0&enrolling_by_invitation=1&active_not_recruiting=1&completed=0&only_eligible=0&only_active=0

Effect of Peas in Soup on Blood Glucose Control - Clinica... A Randomized, Controlled, Cross-over Trial Examining the Effect of Peas in Soup on Post-prandial Glycaemic Response in Healthy Adults.

7. loseit.com loseit.com/articles/the-nutritional-value-of-yellow-split-peas/

The Nutritional Value of Yellow Split Peas The carbohydrates in high-fiber foods like split peas have a low glycemic index, according to the University of Sydney, so they don't spike your blood sugar.