Research papers

Effect of soluble fiber on glycaemic index

Authors:

Abstract

Aim: This study was aimed at evaluating the glycaemic index (GI) values of some foods in Jaffna, Sri Lanka such as cooked white rice, brown rice, parboiled rice, 'Pittu', 'string hopper', cassava, boiled green gram and chick pea. The results will be helpful to physicians and public to decide on the consumption of foods particularly by the diabetic and coronary heart disease patients.

Methods: Healthy volunteers (n=22) were selected with their written consent. After overnight fasting, 75g glucose and each test food containing 75g digestible carbohydrate were administered and blood glucose levels were measured half hourly for two hours. The glycaemic responses and GI values were calculated and analyzed by Randomized Complete Block Design using SAS analytical package.

Results: The mean (SD) glycaemic response values of cooked white rice, brown rice, parboiled rice, 'Pittu', 'string hopper', boiled cassava, green gram and chick pea were 41.71 (6.71), 37.72 (5.11), 35.05 (3.77), 27.39 (5.69), 31.32 (4.42), 49.26 (4.57), 19.68 (4.36) and 20.83 (3.90) mg/dL, respectively. The mean (SD) GI values of cooked white rice, brown rice, parboiled rice, 'Pittu', 'string hopper', boiled cassava, green gram and chick pea were 66.61 (9.86), 60.24 (8.16), 55.97 (6.01), 43.74 (9.09), 50.01 (7.06), 78.67 (7.30), 31.43 (6.96) and 33.27 (6.23)%, respectively. The GI values of cooked white rice differed significantly (P<0.05) from brown rice and parboiled rice. The GI values of 'Pittu' differed significantly (P<0.05) from string hopper. The GI values of boiled cassava differed significantly (P<0.05) from boiled green gram and chick pea. The GI value of boiled green gram did not differ significantly (P>0.05) from chick pea.

Conclusions: 'Pittu', 'string hopper', boiled green gram and chick pea were low GI diets. Cooked white rice, brown rice and parboiled rice were intermediate GI diets. Cassava was a high GI diet. As low GI diets are good for diabetic and coronary heart disease patients, precaution has to be taken when selecting the correct diets.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/gmj.v17i1.4357

Galle Medical Journal, Vol 17: No. 1, March 2012 23-31

Keywords:

Glycaemic indexglycaemic responserice flourlegumesfiberdiabetes
  • Year: 2012
  • Volume: 17 Issue: 1
  • Page/Article: 23-31
  • DOI: 10.4038/gmj.v17i1.4357
  • Published on 29 May 2012
  • Peer Reviewed