Abstract
Background: The Glycemic Index (GI) of traditional bread has not been measured previously. Objective: To determine the GIs of 3 traditional breads and 3 commercial breads widely consumed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design: The study was conducted at the Rashid Center for Diabetes and Research in the UAE. Subjects (n=14) were served 50 g glucose (reference) on 3 occasions, followed by a selection of 50 g of available carbohydrates in the breads. Each bread was tested by 7 subjects, and these breads were 3 traditional breads (rigag, chbab, and khameer) and 3 commercial breads widely consumed in the UAE (white pita bread, khobuz; white bread roll, summon; whole-meal bread). After an 8- to 10-hour overnight fast, the subjects’ capillary blood glucose was measured via finger-prick samples over 120 min. The GI (%) of a specific bread for each subject was measured geometrically (trapezoids rule) by calculating the incremental area under the blood glucose response curve (IAUC) divided by the average IAUC for the reference (in triplicate) multiplied by 100. Then, the GI of the bread was calculated as the mean value across all subjects who consumed that bread. Results: Compared to the control (50 g glucose), the GIs of the traditional UAE bread ranged between low and medium; the GIs for rigag, chbab, and khameer were 48.21(15.6), 63.95 (7.06), and 63.91 (11.49), respectively. AllGIs exhibited a significant difference (P 0.05), and 66.71 (14.68) (P<0.05), respectively. The correlation between the GI value in the studied portion and fat (r=0.04) and protein (r=0.18) was weak, but that with insoluble fiber was moderate (r=0.48). Conclusion: The GI values of these traditional UAE breads provide valuable information to healthcare providers, researchers, and the public. The difference between our GI values and that of previously tested food proves the importance of testing the food consumed in a particular country.
Highlights
The glycemic index, a tool for carbohydrate classificationMany scientific studies have emphasized that the key strategy for the management of weight and metabolic diseases such as diabetes is Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)
The Glycemic Index (GI) of the 3 commercial breads ranged between medium and high
The difference between our GI values and that of previously tested food proves the importance of testing the food consumed in a particular country
Summary
The glycemic index, a tool for carbohydrate classification. Many scientific studies have emphasized that the key strategy for the management of weight and metabolic diseases such as diabetes is Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT). The diet that produces a low glycemic response is associated with significantly less insulin resistance and lower prevalence of the metabolic syndrome [4], risk of type 2 diabetes [5,6,7,8] risk of ischemic heart disease [9], and reduction of the lipid profile [10]. Many studies consider the GI a very important factor [4,5,6,7,8,9,10], but others do not consider it a useful dietary planning tool for weight management or disease prevention [11,12,13]. The Glycemic Index (GI) of traditional bread has not been measured previously
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