Bread making with sourdough and intact cereal and legume grains – effect on glycaemic index and glycaemic load

The concept of glycaemic index (GI) has led to efforts to develop low-GI foods. Bread contributes around one-quarter of carbohydrate intake in the Swedish diet. In this study, we sought to develop low-GI bread prototypes and examined the effects of bread making on content of total dietary fibre (TDF) and resistant starch (RS). Five bread prototypes were made in a commercial bakery, using sourdough fermentation and intact cereal and legume kernels. Predicted (p-GI) and in vivo GI values were determined, and TDF and RS were quantified. The p-GI value of the five prototypes was between 56 and 68. The confirmed in vivo GI value was 65 and 67 for two of the breads. The TDF content (≥17%) was not affected by bread making, but RS content was increased by three-fold. All breads were categorised as medium-GI, but with low glycaemic load (GL).