Glycemic and insulinemic responses in women consuming extruded amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L)

Amaranth is a pseudocereal, the nutritional and functional values of which have attracted much interest recently. Amaranth has become popular among patients with celiac disease because it does not cause allergic reactions in the intestinal mucosa. However, the high prevalence of diabetes mellitus among these patients is well known. This study investigated the starch digestibility of an extruded amaranth product. The digestion behavior was observed by the glycemic and insulinemic responses of 11 women to the amaranth product, in comparison with the responses to a reference food (white bread). The responses of women to amaranth gave rise to a mean glycemic index of 107 and an insulinemic curve that indicated greater capacity to stimulate insulin production. This digestion profile was probably due to the drastic processing that the amaranth grain had been subjected to, which provided suitable conditions for enzyme attack. Because of its fast digestion, such amaranth snacks are recommended for athletes and, when consumed by diabetic patients with celiac disease, should be assessed in a dietary program.