Glycemic Index and Chemical Composition of Traditional Omani Breads

This study evaluated the chemical composition and glycemic index (GI) of eight different types of traditional Omani breads made from wheat flour. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed in the proximate chemical composition, dietary fibre content, and gross energy value of these breads. The moisture, crude protein, total fat, ash, crude fibre and nitrogen free extract (NFE) contents ranged between 21.6–51.6, 4.3–10.5, 0.8–13.8, 1.2–2.3, 1.0–2.0, and 34.5–61.8 g/100 g of sample respectively. The values for dietary fibre were between 5.6, 9.6 g/100g, and the gross energy contents ranged between 897 and 1468 kJ/100 g. The GI value of these breads also differed significantly (P < 0.05). No significant differences were however observed among the GI values for White Toast Bread (local commercial bread), Brown Toast Bread (local commercial bread), White Khubz Lebanani (local commercial bread), Brown Khubz Lebanani (local commercial bread), and Chapati (local homemade bread), which were 63 ± 12, 58 ± 15, 63 ± 10, 57 ± 20, and 58 ± 10, respectively. Paratha (local restaurant made bread with fat), Goleh (local homemade soft bread), and Rekhal (local homemade thin bread) showed significantly (P < 0.05) lower GI values as compared to other breads, and these were 32 ± 13, 43 ± 13 and 39 ± 7, respectively. No specific correlation was observed in the chemical composition and glycemic index of these breads. These breads fall within low to medium GI category of foods.