Agar, pectin and stomach emptying speed in ten healthy men
What it found
In ten healthy men, agar and pectin both slowed how fast the stomach emptied after a meal.
Neither changed blood sugar levels afterwards.
What they found
Studies in people
Slower stomach emptying
Both the agar meal and the pectin meal made the stomach empty more slowly than the meal with no fibre. This was measured by tracking gas breathed out over time.
Blood sugar unchanged
Adding 2.0 g of agar or 5.2 g of pectin to the meal did not change blood sugar levels compared to the fibre-free meal.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that agar and pectin slow down stomach emptying in healthy adults.
- They note that neither ingredient changes blood sugar levels after a meal.
How it was done
Agar is rich in fibre and used often in Japanese cooking. Long-term use may lower fasting blood sugar in people with diabetes, but scientists did not know what happens right after eating it.
Ten healthy men each ate three different 450 kcal meals on separate occasions. One had no fibre, one had 2.0 g of agar, and one had 5.2 g of pectin. The researchers then tracked stomach emptying using a breath test and took repeated blood samples.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This trial only looked at ten healthy men, so the results might differ for women or other groups.
- It tested just one dose of agar, so scientists do not yet know if larger amounts would affect blood sugar.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Japan
The paper
- Title
- Effects of agar and pectin on gastric emptying and post-prandial glycaemic profiles in healthy human volunteers
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Sanaka M, Yamamoto T, Anjiki H, Nagasawa K, Kuyama Y (2007). Effects of agar and pectin on gastric emptying and post-prandial glycaemic profiles in healthy human volunteers. Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1681.2007.04706.xPubMed 17880369DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error