Bread of Life

June 13th, 2011

New research has shown that bread lovers can lower their risk of heart disease significantly, just by using flour containing 40 per cent lupin beans in the place of conventional wholemeal flour.

Victoria University dietitian Dr Regina Belski worked with the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research's (WAIMR's) Centre for Food and Genomic Medicine in Perth over the course of a year, monitoring more than 100 overweight, but otherwise healthy, Western Australian men and women to whom they provided everyday foods made either with wholemeal flour or incorporating lupin flour.

"Consuming lupin flour lowered blood pressure and reduced the risk of heart disease," Dr Belski said. "It's as simple as that."

Those taking part in the study were put on a weight loss diet and split into two groups. For a year, one group ate foods incorporating the 40-per-cent lupin flour, and the other foods made solely with wholemeal flour. During the course of the experiment, Regina and her team monitored heart disease risk factors, including blood pressure, and the level of fats, sugar and insulin in the blood.

The foods provided to participants during the study included bread, pasta and biscuits. The researchers found that while both the lupin group and the wholemeal group lost similar amounts of weight, the lupin group displayed bigger improvements in several heart disease risk factors.

"So simply consuming foods incorporating lupin flour can improve heart health in overweight people at higher risk of heart disease," Regina says.

The study suggested that lupin flour might also be good for those suffering from Type 2 or adult onset diabetes, because even in non-diabetic individuals sensitivity to insulin improved during the trial.

In Western Australia, Regina says, commercial food manufacturers have already begun making and selling products which incorporate lupin flour.

Regina Belski is one of 16 early-career scientists who are presenting their research to the public for the first time thanks to Fresh Science, a national program sponsored by the Australian Government.

Over the course of Fresh Science Regina presented her work:

    - in verse at a Melbourne pub

    - over dinner with Australia's Chief Scientist in Melbourne

    - to school students in Melbourne and Geelong.

For interviews please contact:
Regina Belski
Mobile: 0433 322 540
Email: Regina.Belski@vu.edu.au

For more information please contact:
Carolyn Monaghan
Communications Manager
Mobile: 0448 021 932 (media enquiries only)
Office: (08) 9224 0377
Email: carolyn.monaghan@waimr.uwa.edu.au