Post-prandial blood glucose of four cultivars of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) in healthy subjects

Résumé

This study was designed to determine the post-prandial blood
glucose of four commonly used cultivars of dates (“Ghars"; "Deglet
Nour" ; "Degla Beida"; "Addela") in healthy subjects and their effects on
glycemic index. This research also aims to explore the possibility of
consumption of these cultivars of dates by obese and diabetics. These
cultivars were chosen on the basis of their consumption enhanced by the
local population.
Composition analysis was carried out for four types of dates. The
weights of the flesh of the date’s equivalent to 50 g of available
carbohydrates (7 to 8 dates) were calculated. The study subjects were
twenty eight volunteers (non-diabetic) with a mean age of 22.14 ± 0.134
years. Each volunteer was tested on five separate days with 50 g of
glucose (reference food) and 50 g equivalent of available carbohydrates
from the 4 cultivars of date. Capillary glucose was measured in
volunteers at 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min. The post-prandial
response was recorded by using MATLAB program. The glycemic index
was determined as ratios of the incremental areas under the response
curves for the dates compared to glucose. Mean glycemic index of the
dates were 43.27±14.05, 52.22±9.82, 53.95±23 and 42.11±14.05 for
Ghars, Deglet Nour, Degla Beida and Addela, respectively. There were
statistically significant differences in the GI between the four cultivars of
dates. The results show low glycemic indices for the four types of dates

included in the study and that their consumption by healthy individuals
does not result in significant postprandial glucose excursions. These
findings point to the potential benefits of dates for diabetic subjects when
used in a healthy balanced diet.
Key words: Dates; Glycemic Index, diabetes, obesity, Algeria