FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF THE HYPOGLYCEMIC EFFECTS OF A SOY-FORTIFIED DIABETIC DIET

Abstract

A high protein-energy diabetic diet named Soya Diabetic Diet (SDD) was formulated and prepared using Soya beans, sorghum and unripe ltlantain. Its quality was evaluated in terms of its nutritive value, micrdbial load, physiological characteristics and hypoglycemic properties. SDD had physical and nutritive characteristics similar to a very popular commercial baby weaning food in Nigeria (CERELAC) but was of higher protein content. It also had high acceptabil i ty by the animals fed the diet. The protein content was 28.0%, 26.2% fat and 33.5% carbohydrate but calcium and phosphorous levels as well as vitamins were however low. Microbial load of the diet indicated that bacterial and fungal levels in the diet were very low and insignificant (p>0.05). There was good growth and development in animals fed the diet, with mean body weight recording significant (p<O.05) increase in the 21 days period of the experiment. SDD also possess hypoglycemic properties, significantly (p<O.05) lowering the mean blood glucose levels of normal, adult experimental albino rats from 82.44mg/ml and 70.6mg/ml for random blood sugar and fasting blood sugar to 55.8mg/ml and 51.7mg/ml respectively. The blend can therefore be recommended for use as a good diabetic diet in Nigeria if properly fortified with minerals and vitamins as most dietrtry therapy techniques being adopted for diabetics elsewhere are yet to be understood by Africans; as such most of the potential food sources to be used for this purpose have not been properly exploited, despite World Health Organi zation's (WHO) expert committee on diabetes recommendation for this to be done. The committee goes further to state that much of the increase in di abetes being forecasted will occur in developing countries as a result of popul ation growth, aging, unhealthy diets, obesity and sedentary lifestyles.