Comparative Evaluation of Glycemic Indexes and Glycemic Loads of Four Industrial Pounded Yams Consumed with Talinum triangulare and Telfairia occidentalis Vegetable Soups

Abstract

Pounded yam is one of the major staple foods in Nigeria; most especially, in the south west part of the country. In recent years, industrial pounded yams were introduced into the markets so as to eradicate the laborious activities associated with the preparation of the indigenous one. However, the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of these various pounded yams are not well established. Therefore, the aim of this study is to comparatively evaluate the GIs and GLs of four Nigerian industrial pounded yams consumed with Talinum triangulare and Telfairia occidentalis vegetable soups respectively. Prepared industrial pounded yams such as Ayoola poundo yam (APY), Endy’s poundo yam (EPY), Iyan poundo yam (IYPY) and Ola-Ola poundo yam (OOPY) were consumed with Talinum triangulare soup (TTS) and Telfairia occidentalis soup (TOS) respectively by human subjects. These subjects also consumed the control meal; indigenous pounded yam (IPY), and standard reference meal (D-glucose). Their blood glucose levels were determined, and used to calculate the foods’ GIs and GLs. Results showed that; the GIs (42.33±0.33%, 42.33±1.85% and 44.00±1.53%) and GLs (22.00±0.00, 22.00±1.00 and 22.67±0.67) of EPYTTS, APYTTS and IYPYTTS respectively differed significantly from the GIs and GLs of other meals, except APYTOS’ GI (46.00±2.08%) and GL (23.33±1.20). Therefore, EPYTTS, APYTTS and IYPYTTS are low GI foods although, with high GL values, and TTS seems to work synergistically with these industrial pounded yams better than TOS to enhance low GI value