title: Glycemic response to pasta: effect of surface area, degree of cooking, and protein enrichment.
abstract: To see whether food form, the degree of cooking, or protein enrichment affected the glycemic response to pasta, we gave test-meal breakfasts to 13 diabetic patients. Macaroni had a significantly greater glycemic index (GI) (68 +/- 8) than spaghetti (45 +/- 6, P less than .01); the GI of star pastina was intermediate (54 +/- 6). The GI of spaghetti was not significantly affected by cooking for 5 or 15 min (45 +/- 6 and 46 +/- 5, respectively), or by protein enrichment (38 +/- 4). The GI of spaghetti was similar in 11 non-insulin-dependent and 6 insulin-dependent diabetic patients (49 +/- 7 compared with 57 +/- 8). We conclude that different types of pasta may produce different glycemic responses but that these are not necessarily related to differences in cooking or surface area.
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003296:Cooking; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004044:Dietary Proteins