Glycaemic effects of bread and marmalade in insulin-dependent diabetes

The glycaemic responses of 12 C-peptide negative insulin-dependent diabetics were studied following four breakfasts with different carbohydrate sources. Total energy content of the meals was the usual for each subject, carbohydrate supplying 55% and fat 32%. The meals comprised: wholemeal bread with margarine; white bread with margarine; marmalade made with sucrose, and cheddar cheese; and marmalade (22% of total energy) on wholemeal bread with margarine. The study demonstrated powerfully that there were no statistically significant or clinically relevant differences between the meals in post-prandial glucose peak elevation, or in incremental area under the blood glucose curve to 120 mins. On these grounds, sucrose, in amounts considered acceptable to the general population, need not be prohibited from diabetic diets.