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Diabetologia

, Volume 22, Issue 6, pp 450–455 | Cite as

Relationship between rate of digestion of foods and post-prandial glycaemia

  • D. J. A. Jenkins
  • H. Ghafari
  • T. M. S. Wolever
  • R. H. Taylor
  • A. L. Jenkins
  • H. M. Barker
  • H. Fielden
  • A. C. Bowling
Originals
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Revised:

Summary

The amount of carbohydrate released at 1 and 5 h by digestion in vitro of 2 g carbohydrate portions of 14 foods by human digestive juices was compared with the area under the 2-h blood glucose response curve when 50 g carbohydrate portions were fed to groups of five to ten healthy volunteers. A significant relationship was found between the amounts of sugars and oligosaccharides liberated at 1 and 5 h and the food blood glucose area expressed as a percentage of the blood glucose area for 50 g glucose (r=0.8627 and 0.8618, p<0.001). A significant relationship was also found between the glycaemic index and the food fibre content (p<0.02) and between the glycaemic index and the glucose trapping capacity of the foods (p<0.05). Legumes as a group liberated 56% less sugars and oligosaccharides (p<0.01) than the eight cereal foods over 5 h. It is suggested that such studies in vitro may help to identify food of use for diabetic patients, and at the same time throw further light on factors which affect post-prandial glycaemia.

Key words

Digestion in vitro post-prandial glycaemia rate of absorption dietary fibre dietary carbohydrate diabetes 
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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1982

Authors and Affiliations

  • D. J. A. Jenkins
    • 1
  • H. Ghafari
    • 2
  • T. M. S. Wolever
    • 1
  • R. H. Taylor
    • 3
  • A. L. Jenkins
    • 1
  • H. M. Barker
    • 3
  • H. Fielden
    • 3
  • A. C. Bowling
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of TorontoCanada
  2. 2.University Laboratory of PhysiologyOxfordUK
  3. 3.Department of Gastroenterology and NutritionCentral Middlesex HospitalLondonUK

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