Research has confirmed that a food's glycemic effect cannot be accurately predicted from the type and amount of carbohydrates it contains, as the rate at which the carbohydrates is digested and released into the bloodstream is influenced by many factors such as the food's physical form, its fat, protein and fibre content, and the chemical structure of its carbohydrates. For these reasons, it is possible to produce food from the same group with different effects on blood glucose. Consumption of low GI food has shown to improve glycemic control, lipid profile and reduce systemic inflammation. With bread, noodles and rice being the staple food for many Singaporeans, functional staple food alternatives offer a lower GI alternative without greatly affecting the population's dietary preference. Preliminary studies for each functional staple food alternative (for bread, noodles, and rice) had reflected improved glycaemic responses compared to their staple counterparts.
In this study, the combined effects of functional foods (i.e. Anthocyanin fortified bread, Microfluidic co-flow noodles, 5ibrePlus™-fortified white rice) is investigated in an ad-libitum diet and their contributions to diabetes management.