A combined team of six scientists from Montana State University and North Dakota State University recently published a paper with a promising conclusion regarding the consumption of potatoes with higher concentrations of amylose.
New nutrition data suggest that consumption of potatoes with higher concentrations of amylose would result in a lower Glycemic Index (GI) and would be expected to provide a health benefit for people that have prediabetes, diabetes and/or obesity.
That is the most important conclusion of “Rapid Screening Methods of Potato Cultivars for Low Glycemic Trait” paper released not long ago.
“This study utilizes three independent analyses of potato starch: microscopic examination of granule structure, water absorption, and spectrophotometry of iodine complexes to identify potato cultivars with low amylopectin that are thought to have low GI potential. Differences among cultivars tested were detected by all three types of analyses. Of the 60 potato cultivars evaluated the most promising are Huckleberry Gold, Muru, Multa, Green Mountain, and an October Blue x Colorado Rose cross,” wrote the experts.
High Levels of Amylopectin Elicit a Rapid Spike in Blood Glucose Levels
Potatoes are a dietary staple consumed by a significant portion of the world, providing valuable carbohydrates and vitamins with minimal fat. Most commercially produced potatoes have a high content of highly branched amylopectin starch, which generally results in a high GI.
A lower sugar release during digestion is expected to cause a lower sugar spike and lower release of insulin, due to differences of digestibility of amylose and amylopectin. Consumption of foods with high levels of amylopectin elicit a rapid spike in blood glucose levels, which is undesirable for individuals who are pre-diabetic, diabetic, or obese.
Some cultivars of potatoes with lower rapidly digestible amylopectin levels have previously been identified and are commercially available in niche markets in some countries but are relatively unavailable in the United States and Latin America.
Among Native communities in North America and in the high Andes countries of South America, some foods that include certain potato cultivars, may have been used to help people mitigate what is now defined as the effects of high blood sugar and obesity.
A combined team of six scientists from Montana State University and North Dakota State University recently published a paper with a promising conclusion regarding the consumption of potatoes with higher concentrations of amylose.
New nutrition data suggest that consumption of potatoes with higher concentrations of amylose would result in a lower Glycemic Index (GI) and would be expected to provide a health benefit for people that have prediabetes, diabetes and/or obesity.
That is the most important conclusion of “Rapid Screening Methods of Potato Cultivars for Low Glycemic Trait” paper released not long ago.
“This study utilizes three independent analyses of potato starch: microscopic examination of granule structure, water absorption, and spectrophotometry of iodine complexes to identify potato cultivars with low amylopectin that are thought to have low GI potential. Differences among cultivars tested were detected by all three types of analyses. Of the 60 potato cultivars evaluated the most promising are Huckleberry Gold, Muru, Multa, Green Mountain, and an October Blue x Colorado Rose cross,” wrote the experts.
High Levels of Amylopectin Elicit a Rapid Spike in Blood Glucose Levels
Potatoes are a dietary staple consumed by a significant portion of the world, providing valuable carbohydrates and vitamins with minimal fat. Most commercially produced potatoes have a high content of highly branched amylopectin starch, which generally results in a high GI.
A lower sugar release during digestion is expected to cause a lower sugar spike and lower release of insulin, due to differences of digestibility of amylose and amylopectin. Consumption of foods with high levels of amylopectin elicit a rapid spike in blood glucose levels, which is undesirable for individuals who are pre-diabetic, diabetic, or obese.
Some cultivars of potatoes with lower rapidly digestible amylopectin levels have previously been identified and are commercially available in niche markets in some countries but are relatively unavailable in the United States and Latin America.
Among Native communities in North America and in the high Andes countries of South America, some foods that include certain potato cultivars, may have been used to help people mitigate what is now defined as the effects of high blood sugar and obesity.
