title: Postprandial glucose response to selected tropical fruits in normal glucose-tolerant Nigerians.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The glycemic response to commonly eaten fruits in Nigeria has not been reported. Therefore, this study assessed the plasma glucose response to selected fruits in Nigeria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten normal glucose-tolerant subjects randomly consumed 50 g carbohydrate portions of three fruits: banana (Musa paradisiaca), pineapple (Ananus comosus), and pawpaw (Carica papaya), and a 50-g glucose load at 1-week intervals. Blood samples were collected in the fasting state and half-hourly over a 2-h period post-ingestion of the fruits or glucose. The samples were analyzed for plasma glucose concentrations. Plasma glucose responses were assessed by the peak plasma glucose concentration, maximum increase in plasma glucose, 2-h postprandial plasma glucose level, and incremental area under the glucose curve and glycemic index (GI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the blood glucose response to these three fruits was similar in terms of their incremental areas under the glucose curve, maximum increase in plasma glucose, and glycemic indices (GIs). The 2-h postprandial plasma glucose level of banana was significantly higher than that of pineapple, P < 0.025. The mean ± SEM GI values were as follows: pawpaw; 86 ± 26.8%; banana, 75.1 ± 21.8%; pineapple, 64.5 ± 11.3%. The GI of glucose is taken as 100. The GI of pineapple was significantly lower than that of glucose (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Banana, pawpaw, and pineapple produced a similar postprandial glucose response. Measured portions of these fruits may be used as fruit exchanges with pineapple having the most favorable glycemic response.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, PMB 1111, Nigeria. osayumen@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Edo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eregie
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Adediran
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohwovoriole
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ebengho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D031230:Ananas / Q000378:metabolism; D019540:Area Under Curve; D031042:Asimina / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005638:Fruit / Q000378:metabolism*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D038321:Glycemic Index; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D028521:Musa / Q000378:metabolism; D009549:Nigeria; D019518:Postprandial Period; D014329:Tropical Climate; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates