Honey and Glycemic Index

Authors

  • Sibel Silici Erciyes University
  • Meltem Soylu Nuh Naci Yazgan University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v3i5.283-293.295

Keywords:

Blood glucose, Carbohydrate, Honey bee, Diabetes mellitus, Diet

Abstract

Honey is a natural substance produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) from the nectar of blossoms or from secretions of living parts of plants or excretions of plant sucking insects on the living parts of plants, which honeybees collect, transform and combine with specific substances of their own, store and leave in the honey comb to ripen and mature. Besides being of carbohydrate-rich food, honey has been used as a functional food for its potential health benefits. To explain how different kinds of carbohydrate-rich foods directly affect blood sugar, the researchers developed the concept of the “glycemic index” (GI) that ranks carbohydrates on a scale based on how quickly and how much they raise blood sugar levels after eating. The diet should include adequate and healthy balance of nutrients, and according to many health professionals the concept of GI provides a useful means of selecting the most appropriate carbohydrate containing foods for the maintenance of health and the treatment of several disease states. There have been some studies on determining the GI of honey. Further more, we need to determine the GI of various honey types with different botanical and geografical origin. Researches on the issue will serve to bring awareness in the public consciousness.

Author Biographies

Sibel Silici, Erciyes University

Agricultural Biotechnology

Meltem Soylu, Nuh Naci Yazgan University

Nutrition and Dietetics

Published

03.02.2015

How to Cite

Silici, S., & Soylu, M. (2015). Honey and Glycemic Index. Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 3(5), 283–293. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v3i5.283-293.295

Issue

Section

Food Technologies