Effect of Nutritional Composition and Glycemic Index on Selected Varieties of Rice, Millets and Legumes

Diabetes mellitus is a disease that is increasing globally and is a group of metabolic disorder, characterized by polyuria, polyphagia and polydypsia. By maintaining glycemic index levels in individuals diet aids in prevention of diabetes. Rice, millets and legumes are considered to be one of the staple food and play a vital role in human diet. In our study the glycemic index of varieties of rice, millets and legumes were determined in-vitro. Consumption of foods with high glycemic index is hypothesized to contribute to insulin resistance, which is associated with increased risk of diabetes mellitus, obesity and cardiovascular disease. It was seen that the legumes possess low glycemic index with comparison to rice and millets. Hence, it can be concluded that legumes are particularly good for preventing and managing diabetes.