Acute effects of five Ghanaian carbohydrate diets on serum glucose, triglyceride and insulin in NIDDM.

Glycemic indices have been used to predict useful carbohydrate sources of food for patients with non-insulin-dependent diabeties mellitus (NIDDM) on dietary management programs. The present study has revealed that glycemic indices alone are not adequate predictors of useful carbohydrate meal sources. We observed for the first time that glycemic indexes inversely correlate with triglyceride indices. In our test mixed meals varying in five Ghanaian carbohydrate food types for nine non-insulin dependent diabetics, the correlation between glycemic and triglyceride indices was (r = -0.63; P = 0.005). The atherogenic potential of triglyceride makes a critical review of the sole use of glycemic indices as useful carbohydrate predictors necessary. We also observed that unripened big plantains (a staple Ghanaian food) could be a useful carbohydrate source for NIDDM patients.