The Glycemic Index of Some Traditional Ethiopian Foods in Mice
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
BACKGROUND : Glycemic index (GI) describes the blood glucose response after consumption
of a carbohydrate containing test food relative to a reference food, typically glucose or white
bread. Glycemic index was originally designed for people with diabetes as a guide to food
selection, advice being given to select foods with a low GI. In Ethiopia information with regard
to the glycemic index of commonly consumed traditional foods are not known. Therefore, the
current study aims at assessing the glycemic index of some common traditional Ethiopian foods.
Thus generating information for the dietary management of diabetes mellitus.
MATERIALS & METHODS: Twelve different traditional Ethiopian foods were randomly
selected from the local market and prepared these foods at home following traditional methods.
The foods were dried with sun light and oven (<85°C) and then the dried foods were manually
grinded and powdered. The powders were kept in clean glasses at room temperature until used
for the experiment. Twelve healthy mice (six for control and six for the test group) for each
tested foods were used for the study. The mice were divided in to two groups, group 1 is standard
(each mouse administered 0.25g of glucose) and group 2 is test (each mouse administered 0.25g
of test food). The test food and standard glucose were administered after overnight fasting and
the blood glucose were measured at 30 minute intervals for the next two hours (0, 30, 60, 90 and
120minutes). The blood glucose response curve was used to calculate the incremental area under
the curve (IAUC) of each food and glucose. Glycemic index of food was calculated as a
percentage of incremental area under the curve (IAUC) of each food from standard glucose and
expressed as Mean ± SE of each food.
RESULTS: The result indicated that among the twelve traditional Ethiopian foods eight were
found to have low glycemic index (GI≤55); these include: 1.White teff enjera, GI=35, 2. Red teff
enjera, GI=39, 3. Maize enjera, GI= 43, 4. Barley bread, GI=25, 5. Qocho bread, GI=38, 6. pea
sauce, GI=41, 7. Chickpeas sauce, GI=27, 8. Lentil sauce, GI=17, three foods had a moderate
glycemic index (GI=56-69): 1. Maize bread, GI= 56, 2. wheat bread, GI= 57, 3. Bulla genfo,
GI=60) and one had a high glycemic index (GI≥70): 1. White bread, GI= 73.
CONCLUSIONS: The examined traditional Ethiopian foods provided important information for
the public to guide food choice and could be useful for the prevention of diabetes mellitus.
KEY WORDS: Glycemic index, carbohydrate, blood glucose response, glucose and test food
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Keywords
Glycemic index; Carbohydrate; Blood glucose response; Glucose and test food