INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT COOKING PROCESSES ON THE GLYCEMIC RESPONSE TO POTATOES IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETIC-PATIENTS

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether different cooking proces ses may influence the glycaemic response to potatoes in different ways . For this purpose 16 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients were div ided into two groups - each group comprised 8 patients. At 3-day inter vals they were administered 200 g of potatoes (36 g starch) processed in various ways. The patients in group 1 were administered boiled pota toes, boiled potatoes eaten mixed with 10 g butter, as a puree with 10 g of added, butter, or baked with 10 g butter. Group 2 patients were administered boiled potatoes, potatoes fried with 10 g olive oil, or f ried after having been previously boiled. The glycaemic incremental re sponse above baseline was lower for baked potatoes than boiled potatoe s (p<0.01) and to boiled potatoes with added butter (p<0.04). Glycaemi c incremental areas after baked potatoes, potato puree, boiled potatoe s with added butter were similar (p=NS) and lower (p<0.05) than those after boiled potatoes. The glycaemic incremental response above baseli ne was lower for fried potatoes with respect to boiled potatoes (p<0.0 1) and for boiled-fried potatoes with respect to boiled potatoes (p<0. 05). The glycaemic incremental area after fried potatoes and boiled-fr ied potatoes was statistically lower (p<0.05) than that of boiled pota toes. In conclusion, the lower glycaemic response of fried or baked po tatoes depends on both the cooking process and the addition of oil or butter.