Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine the blood glucose responses and the glycemic
index (GI) of control cake (CC) and pumpkin cake (PC). Fourteen subjects among
students from University Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) with mean age (± standard
deviation) of 21. 79 ± 1.3 7 years and mean BMI of 21.52 ± 2.10 were tested the reference
carbohydrate (glucose) and test meals which were CC and PC separately. After an
overnight fasting, subjects were allowed to consume a food portion of cake containing
50g of available carbohydrate within 15 minutes. Capillary finger-prick blood samples
were taken in fasting state (0 minute), 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes respectively
after consumption. This research showed the peak of blood glucose response of reference
glucose and CC was at 30 minutes while the peak of blood glues response of PC was at
45 minutes. Incremental area under the glucose responses curve (iAUC) were calculated
for each cake and compared to determine the GI. T-test analysis was showed that there
was no significant difference (p>0.05) between CC and PC in every interval of times. PC
was determined has lower GI value (75.75 ± 14.5) compared to CC (164.04 ± 36.82).
Both of the cakes were considered as high GI foods (more 70) but GI value of PC was
lower than that of CC. There was significant difference (p<0.05) in the GI of these cakes.
Independence t-test analysis was showed there was no significant difference (p>0.05) of
blood glucose response between genders in the same test meal. The GL of both cakes also
was determined and from the result, GL value of CC is higher (82.02) than GL value of
PC (37.88). In conclusion, by incorporating 30% pumpkin in cake formulation, the
glycemic index of the cake could be reduced.
