Glycaemic Index and Glycaemic Load of Pounded yam in Diabetic and Healthy Subjects

Abstract

Background: We aim to determine the glycaemic index and load of pounded yam with egusi (melon) soup in the diabetic and control subjects. Study design: metabolic study of 10 type-2 diabetic and 6 healthy volunteer subjects were carried out on two non- consecutive days after an overnight fast. Fifty grams of glucose was used as reference food while 50grams of available carbohydrate of pounded yam and egusi melon vegetable soup meal was used as test meal. Incremental area under the blood glucose curve (IAUC) was used to determine the glycaemic index. Glycaemic load was determined using the percentage of available carbohydrate in the meal multiplied by the glycaemic index. Result: The glycaemic index of pounded yam was 61 and 59 in the diabetic type-2 and healthy subjects respectively while the glycaemic load was 30.5 and 29.5 in type-2 diabetics and healthy subjects respectively. Conclusion: The glycaemic index of pounded yam is moderate.

KEY WORDS: Glycaemic index, Glycaemic load, Pounded yam, egusi melon soup, Type-2 diabetic, glucose