The impact of the addition of toppings/fillings on the glycaemic response to commonly consumed carbohydrate foods.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the influence of the addition of various toppings/fillings on the glycaemic response to baked potato, pasta and toast.


METHODS
Randomised, repeated measures design.


METHODS
Oxford, UK.


METHODS
Forty normal, healthy subjects (11 males and 29 females) were recruited to the study. Subjects were staff and students from Oxford Brookes University.


METHODS
Cheddar cheese, chilli con carne, baked beans and tuna were added to baked potatoes, cooked pasta and toast to determine the effect on glycaemic response.


RESULTS
No significant difference was found among the various toppings and baked potato (P=0.06), pasta (P=0.06) and toast (P=0.39). However, the addition of toppings to a carbohydrate-rich food had a consistent lowering effect on glycaemic index (GI). In particular, the addition of cheddar cheese to potato, pasta and toast reduced the GI of the test meal to a value that is considered to be low-GI (39, 27 and 35, respectively). This is particularly notable for potatoes, which, when eaten alone, had the highest GI value of all the staples.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that the addition of foodstuffs to the staples baked potato, pasta and toast had a consistent lowering effect on the GI value of that meal. These findings emphasise the importance of investigating the GI of composite meals.
Henry
C J K
CJ
Nutrition and Food Science Group, School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.
Lightowler
H J
HJ
Kendall
F L
FL
Storey
M
M
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D038321:Glycemic Index; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019518:Postprandial Period
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D007328:Insulin