The importance of fatty acids in glycaemic response

Most diets worldwide are composed of high carbohydrate foods. Their consumption is associated with a rapid rise in blood glucose. The potential role that the degree of saturation of fatty acids may have in glycaemic response forms the basis of this paper. The addition of butter, olive oil or grapeseed oil significantly reduced the glycaemic index of white bread (white bread GI = 71; bread + butter GI = 53, bread + grapeseed oil GI = 58; bread+ olive oil GI = 50. The addition of olive oil had the greatest impact on GI. Olive oil has been widely recommended for its impact on blood lipids and cholesterol. Olive oil's influence on glycaemic response spawns a new line of research that should examine the role of lipids in carbohydrate metabolism.