The use of glycaemic index tables to predict glycaemic index of composite breakfast meals

Abstract

The applicability of the glycaemic index (GI) in the context of mixed meals and diets is still debatable. The objective of the present study was to investigate the predictability of measured GI in composite breakfast meals when calculated from table values, and to develop prediction equations using meal components. Furthermore, we aimed to study the relationship between GI and insulinaemic index (II). The study was a randomised cross-over meal test including twenty-eight healthy young men. Thirteen breakfast meals and a reference meal were tested. All meals contained 50 g available carbohydrate, but differed considerably in energy and macronutrient composition. Venous blood was sampled for 2 h and analysed for glucose and insulin. Prediction equations were made by regression analysis. No association was found between predicted and measured GI. The meal content of energy and fat was inversely associated with GI (R 2 0·93 and 0·88, respectively; P, 0·001). Carbohydrate content (expressed as percentage of energy) was positively related to GI (R 2 0·80; P, 0·001). Using multivariate analysis the GI of meals was best predicted by fat and protein contents (R 2 0·93; P,0·001). There was no association between GI and II. In conclusion, the present results show that the GI of mixed meals calculated by table values does not predict the measured GI and furthermore that carbohydrates do not play the most important role for GI in mixed breakfast meals. Our prediction models show that the GI of mixed meals is more strongly correlated either with fat and protein content, or with energy content, than with carbohydrate content alone. Furthermore, GI was not correlated with II.

The effect of β-glucan on the glycemic and insulin index

“…Although the product with 4 g of b-glucan had the lowest GI, it induced much greater insulinemia than the frozen product, which on the other hand had a higher GI. The inconsistency between GI and II is in line with previously published results (Flint et al, 2004).…”

“…Insulin index (II) on the other hand, describes the effect that absorbed carbohydrates have on postprandial insulin levels (Juntunen et al, 2003). It has been generally accepted that there is a good correlation between GI and II of a product (Laville, 2004), but that is not always the case (Ostman et al, 2001;Flint et al, 2004). High-GI meals raise blood glucose levels quickly and stimulate insulin secretion.…”

Meal glycaemic load of normal-weight and overweight Hong Kong children

“…A study by Wolever and Bolognesi (1996) suggested that GI determines the variability of the blood insulin response to a meal and the presence of protein and fat intake had negligible effects on postprandial glucose and insulin, while recently the opposite was reported by Flint et al (2004). A study investigating the effects of dietary GI and glycaemic load on energy metabolism and voluntary food intake in obese children showed that high-GI meals elicit a sequence of hormonal changes that might limit the availability of metabolic fuels and cause overeating in children (Ludwig et al, 1999).…”

Relationship of glycaemic index with cardiovascular risk factors: analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey for people aged 65 and older

“…Where no published data were available, published analogues were used (for example, the mean GI value for 'oranges' was imputed for 'clementines') or GI values were calculated from recipes using the mixed-meal formula 41 :…”