Determination of glycemic responses of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) cake in healthy adults

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.