Nutrition Department

Medical School
University of Sumatera Utara

FOOD GLYCEMIC INDEX
Ratio of the blood glucose respond to a given
food compared to a standard (typically
glucose or white bread)
Influenced by starch structure, fiber
content, food processing, physical structure,
food temperature and other macronutrients
in the meal, such as fat
The number is based on a serving of food
that would provide 50 grams of carbohydrate
Glycemic index (G.I.)
Reflects the degree to which
ingestion of the food raises
blood glucose and insulin
levels.


Area under the glucose
G.I. = curve for 50g food x 100%
Area under the curve for
50g glucose (white bread)

Glycemic
index of
selected
foods
Beans
baby lima 32
baked 43
black 30
brown 38
butter 31
chickpeas 33
kidney 27
navy 38
pinto 42
red lentils 27
split peas 32
soy 18
Breads
bagel 72
Kaiser roll 73
pita 57
pumpernickel 49
rye 64
rye, whole 50
white 72
whole wheat 72
waffles 76
Cereals
All Bran 44
Bran Chex 58
Cheerios 74
Corn Bran 75
Corn Chex 83
Cornflakes 83
Cream of Wheat 66
Crispix 87
Grapenuts 67
Grapenuts Flakes 80
Life 66
Muesli 60
NutriGrain 66
Oatmeal 53
Oatmeal 1 min 66
Puffed Wheat 74
Puffed Rice 90
Rice Bran 19
Rice Chex 89
Rice Krispies 82
Shredded Wheat 69
Special K 54
Biscuits
oatmeal 55
shortbread 64
Vanilla Wafers 77
Crackers
Kavli Norwegian 71
rye 63
saltine 72
Desserts
Angel Food Cake 67
bran muffin 60
Danish 59
fruit bread 47
pound cake 54
sponge cake 46
Fruit
apple 38
apricot, canned 64
apricot, dried 30
banana 62
banana, unripe 30
cherries 22
fruit cocktail 55
grapefruit 25
grapes 43
kiwi 52
mango 55
orange 43
pear 36
pineapple 66
plum 24
raisins 64
strawberries 32
watermelon 72
Grains
barley 22
brown rice 59
buckwheat 54
bulger 47
chickpeas 36
cornmeal 68
hominy 40
millet 75
rice, instant 91
rice, parboiled 47
rye 34
sweet corn 55
wheat, whole 41
white rice 88
wh. rice, high amylose 59
Juices
apple 41
grapefruit 48
orange 55
pineapple 46
Milk Products
chocolate milk 34
ice cream 50
milk 34
yogurt 38
Pasta
brown rice pasta 92
linguine, durum 50
macaroni 46
macaroni & cheese 64
spaghetti 40
spag. prot. enrich. 28
vermicelli 35
vermicelli, rice
The term dietary fiber refers to
nondigestible (by human digestive enzymes)
CH and lignin that are intact and intrinsic in
plants
Functional fiber consist of nondigestible CH
that have been isolated, extracted or
manufactured and have been shown to have
beneficial physiologic effects in humans
Total fiber is the combination of dietary
fiber and functional fiber in the food product



Dietary fibers Functional fibers

Cellulose Cellulose
Hemicellulose Pectin
Pectin Lignin
Lignin Gums
Gums -glucans
-glucans Fructans
Fructans Chitin & chitosan
Resistant starch Polydextrose & polyols
Psyllium
Resistant dextrins
Resistant starches
In terms of their chemical composition

Fibers are composed primarily of the non-
starch polysaccharides cellulose,
hemicelluloses, pectins, gums, and
mucilages

The only noncarbohydrate components of
dietary fibers are lignins, which include
complex alcohol derivatives
Classification of Fibers
Type Noncomponent(s) Physiological Effects Major Food Sources
Insoluble (Nonfermentable) : undigestible dietary fibers generally DO NOT
dissolved in hot water and are not generally
metabolized by bacteria in the large intestine
Noncarbohydrate Lignins Increase fecal bulk Whole grains
Carbohydrate
Cellulose
Hemicelluloses
Increase fecal bulk
Decrease intestinal
transit time
All plants
Wheat, rye, rice,
vegetables
Soluble (Viscous) : dietary fiber either dissolve in hot water, and
bacteria in the large intestine can break down soluble fibers
Carbohydrate
Pectins,gums,
glucans, mucilages,
some hemicelluloses
Delays gastric
emptying, slows
glucose absorption,
can lower blood
cholesterol
Fruits, citrus,
vegetables, oat
products, rice,
soybean fibers
beans, thickeners
added to food and
psyllium seeds
Selected properties and
physiological & metabolic effects
of fiber
Solubility in water
Soluble fiber
- delay gastric emptying
- increase transit time (through slower
movement
- decrease nutrient absorption (glucose)
Insoluble fiber
- decrease intestinal trasit time
- increase fecal bulk

Water holding/hydration capacity and
viscosity
- delayed emptying of food from stomach
- reduced mixing of gastrointestinal
contents with digestive enzyme
Adsorption or binding ability
- diminished absorption of lipids
- increase fecal bile acid excretion
- lowered serum cholesterol concentration

Degradability / fermentability
- fermentable fibers SCFA
- water & sodium absorption in the colon
- mucosal cell proliferation
- provision of energy
- acidification of luminal environment
- nonfermentable fibers
- detoxification
- fecal bulk

Adequate intake
19 50 yrs 38 g
51 yrs 31 g
19 50 yrs 25 g
51 yrs 21 g
To obtain fiber via the diet, food sources of
fiber need to be varied and complimentary
Artificial sweeteners
- energy (-)
- nonnutritive sweeteners
- saccharin, aspartame, acesulfam potassium,
sucralose, neotame

Sugar replacers
- energy (+)
- nutritive sweeteners
- sugar alcohol (mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol)
Saccharin
S
N
O
O
O
H
Saccharin

Rapidly excreted in the urine
Does not accumulate in the body
Relative sweetness 450
Acceptable daily intake 5 mg/kgBW
Average amount to replace 1tsp sugar 12
mg
In 2000 was removed from the list of
suspected cancer-causing substance
Aspartame
N
O
O
O
N
O
OCH
3
H
2
H
H
Aspartame
Aspartic acid
Phenylalanine
Methanol
Long term consumption is not associated
with any adverse health effects
Contain phenylalanine & aspartic acid
Warning to people with PKU
Relative sweetness 200
Energy 4 kkal/g
Acceptable daily intake 50 mg/kgBW
Average amount to replace 1tsp sugar 18
mg
Acesulfame
O
S
N
O
O
O
H
H
H
H
Acesulfame
Relative sweetness 200
Energy (-)
Acceptable daily intake 15 mg/kgBW
Average amount to replace 1tsp sugar 25
mg
Sucralose
Relative sweetness 600
Energy (-)
Acceptable daily intake 5 mg/kgBW
Average amount to replace 1tsp sugar 6
mg
Passes through the GI tract undigested &
unabsorbed

Neotame
The most recent
Relative sweetness 8000 very little is
needed
Energy (-)
Acceptable daily intake 18 mg/kgBW
Average amount to replace 1tsp sugar 0.5
g

Sugar replacers
Sugar alcohols Relative sweetness energy (kkal/g)

Isomalt 0.5 2
Lactitol 0.4 2
Maltitol 0.9 2.1
Mannitol 0.7 1.6
Sorbitol 0.5 2.6
Xylitol 1.0 2.4
In food phytochemicals impart tastes,
aromas, colors & other characteristics
Give hot peppers their burning sensation,
garlic its pungent flavor, etc
In the body acting as antioxidants,
mimicking hormone, and supprssing the
developmentof disease
E.g. :Carotenoids, flavonoids,
phytoestrogens, capsaicin, etc
flavonoids
Include flavones, flavonols, isoflavones,
catechin, etc
Possible effect :
- act as antioxidants
- scavenge carcinogens
- bind to nitrate in the stomach, preventing
conversion to nitrosamine
Food source : black tea, green tea, onions,
soybeans & soy products
Phytosterols
Plant derived compounds that have
structural and functional similarities to
human estrogen

Include genisten, daidzein and glycitein

Food sources : soybeans, soy flour, tofu,
soy milk, textured vegetable
protein and other legume
product
Possible effects
Estrogen inhibition may produce this action :
Inhibit cell replication in GI tract
Reduce risk of breast, colon, ovarian,
prostate and other estrogen-sensitive
cancers
Reduce cancer cell survival

Estrogen mimicking may reduce risk of
osteoporosis
Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA)
1% reduction SFA = 2% reduction of
cholesterol
SFAs 12:0 16:0 hypercholesterolemic
Most potent 14:0 (myristic acid)

Kris-Etherton PM & Yu S, Individual fatty acids effects on plasma lipids
and lipoproteins: human studies, Am J Clin Nutr 1997;65
(suppl):1628S44S
Monounsaturated (MUFA)
Oleic acids (18:1) : hypocholesterolemic ,
lowers LDL-C
Effects are less than linoleic acids
HDL raises
Polyunsaturates (PUFA)
18:2n-6 (linolenic acid) decreases TC & LDL-C
HDL effect: not significant
Trans Fatty Acids
Formed in the hydrogenation process
Mostly elaidic acid(trans 18:1n-9)
Elevates LDL-C and reduces HDL-C
Cholesterol
Less potent regulator of plasma lipoprotein
than fatty acids
Wider variation in response to dietary
cholesterol
Synergy of cholesterol and fatty acids ?

Schaefer EJ, lipoproteins, nutrition, and heart disease, am J Clin
nutr2002;75:191-212

Paracelsus (1493-1541)
All substances are poisons, there is
none which is not a poison. The right
dose differentiates a poison and a
remedy.