Pea protein with a sugary drink and blood sugar in people
What it found
In 31 healthy adults, adding pea protein to a glucose drink lowered the blood sugar rise and raised insulin release, with the larger 50 g dose having a bigger effect than 25 g.
Gut hormone GIP and GLP-1 responses showed no clear difference between the drinks.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood sugar response
The blood sugar rise over 180 minutes was 31% lower with 25 g pea protein and 53% lower with 50 g pea protein compared with glucose alone. The 50 g dose gave a 32% lower rise than the 25 g dose.
Insulin release
Insulin release over 180 minutes was 28% higher with 25 g pea protein and 40% higher with 50 g pea protein compared with glucose alone. The 50 g dose gave a 17% higher insulin release than the 25 g dose.
Gut hormones GIP and GLP-1
There was no clear difference in GIP or GLP-1 release between the glucose drink and the pea protein drinks. Peak GIP was lower with 50 g pea protein than with glucose alone, and peak GLP-1 was higher with both pea protein doses than with glucose alone.
Peak blood sugar and insulin
Peak blood sugar differed significantly between all three drinks. Peak insulin differed significantly between glucose alone and each pea protein drink.
What the authors conclude
“The consumption of pea protein reduced postprandial glycaemia and stimulated insulin release in healthy adults with a dose-response effect, supporting its role in regulating glycaemic and insulinaemic responses.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that adding pea protein to a glucose drink reduced postprandial glycaemia and stimulated insulin release with a dose-response effect, supporting a role for pea protein in regulating glycaemic and insulinaemic response.
- They say it highlights the use of pea protein in lowering glycaemic response to simple sugars without a disproportionate increase in GIP hormone levels.
- They suggest that pea protein may be a safer alternative to manage blood glucose levels compared with animal protein, and call for future research on long-term consumption.
How it was done
Plant-based proteins may improve blood sugar and gut hormone responses to foods and drinks. Earlier studies using different doses of pea protein in different products had not always shown the same results.
Thirty-one healthy adults took part in a randomised crossover trial. On three separate days they drank 50 g glucose alone, 50 g glucose with 25 g pea protein, or 50 g glucose with 50 g pea protein. Blood was sampled before and for 180 minutes after each drink.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a single 3-hour test in healthy adults, so it cannot show what happens with long-term pea protein consumption.
- The study did not measure gastric emptying, so it cannot show whether that explains the effects.
- The authors note that the study was not large enough to detect differences in appetite hormone responses.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Oxford Brookes University, UK; Imperial College London, UK
The paper
- Title
- Co-ingestion of NUTRALYS ® pea protein and a high-carbohydrate beverage influences the glycaemic, insulinaemic, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) responses: preliminary results of a randomised controlled trial
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Thondre PS, Achebe I, Sampson A, et al (2021). Co-ingestion of NUTRALYS ® pea protein and a high-carbohydrate beverage influences the glycaemic, insulinaemic, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) responses: preliminary results of a randomised controlled trial. European journal of nutrition. doi:10.1007/s00394-021-02481-8Free full textPubMed 33515092DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error