Effect of After-Meal Consumption of Soft Drinks on the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load of Fried Yam
Salawudeen, S. O. *
Department of Biochemistry, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Oladipe, T. T.
Department of Biochemistry, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Abdullahi, H. A.
Department of Biological Sciences, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
Sadiq, L. O.
Department of Biochemistry, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Abdullahi, N. M.
Department of Biological Sciences, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Abdulazeez, B. O.
Department of Biochemistry, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, Nigeria.
Chijindu, P. C.
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delta, Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria.
Abah, V. O.
Department of Biochemistry, Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara, Kogi State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: The rising prevalence of diet-related metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus has intensified interest in how meal combinations influence postprandial glycemic responses. This study investigated the effect of after meal consumption of soft drink on the glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) of fried yam, a commonly consumed carbohydrate-rich food in Nigeria.
Methods: A total of 15 healthy adult volunteers with a mean age of 21 ± 2 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.06 ± 4.23 kg/m2 were recruited from among the students and staff of Confluence University of Science and Technology (CUSTECH) Osara, Kogi state. On the day one, the volunteers were served with standardized portions (50g equivalent of carbohydrate) of fried yam with water. On the other day fried yam with soft drink were served after fasting blood sugar were measured using glucometer. Post prandial blood glucose levels were measured at 30 minutes regular intervals over two hours Incremental Area Under the Curve (iAUC), GI and GL were calculated using trapezoidal rule.
Results: The results revealed that fried yam alone produced a moderate GI (68.18 ± 37.30 %) and a high GL (34.12 ± 18.70) consistent with its starchy composition. When combined with soft drink the GI and GL values increased significantly to 113.29 ± 52.40 % and 56.71 ± 26.20 (p < 0.001) indicating an additive glycemic effect of the double-carbohydrate meal, producing a sharper and more sustained postprandial glucose rise. This outcome suggests that the combination of high-glycemic staple foods with sugar-sweetened beverages markedly worsens glycemic responses, potentially contributing to hyperglycemia and long-term metabolic risks especially diabetes mellitus.
Conclusion: The study concludes that frequent consumption of fried yam with soft drinks may predispose individuals to poor glycemic control, highlighting the need for dietary modifications and public health interventions to reduce the burden of diet-induced metabolic disorders.
Keywords: Glycemic index, glycemic load, after-meal, post prandial, soft drink