Glycaemic index of selected carbohydrate based foods consumed in Qatar

This study determined the glycemic index (GI) of selected carbohydrate-rich foods consumed in Qatar. Recruited volunteers (n = 19) consumed two reference foods, glucose and white bread, and 10 test foods. The foods tested for their GI were Fatayer (cheese, Zaatar, spinach), Tanour white bread, white basmati rice, Shearia, Muhalabea, Sago Awama and Qurs Aquili. Results of the study indicated that all of the foods tested had high GIs (> 70). Shearia had the highest GI (84.0 +/- 1.85) using the glucose scale, and Fatayer Spinach had the lowest GI (77.6 +/- 2.00). There was no significant correlation between the GI of all test foods, using glucose or white bread as standard foods, and the age or the body mass index of the volunteers (P > 0.05). The study provides data on the GIs of carbohydrate-based foods consumed in Qatar and other Arabian Gulf countries that have not been reported before.