Glycemic Response and Glycemic Index of Arrowroot-Mocaf-Based Analog Rice Enriched with Pumpkin Seed Flour

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a carbohydrate metabolism disorder with a global prevalence of 588.7 million in 2026. Consuming foods with a low glycemic index (<55) can help maintain blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes mellitus. Rice is the most widely consumed staple food in the world, with a glycemic index that is typically moderate to high. Analog rice is known to have a relatively low glycemic index. Local food ingredients that can be developed into analog rice include arrowroot tuber starch and yellow squash seed flour. This study aims to determine the glycemic response of analog rice based on arrowroot tuber starch and yellow squash seed flour as functional foods that support the prevention of diabetes mellitus.
This study used controlled crossover trial design. A total of 15 healthy participants underwent four glycemic response test sessions involving fasting blood draws and blood draws at 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after consuming the test food. Blood glucose response was calculated using the incremental area under the curve (iAUC). Statistical analysis was performed using a t-test with a significance level of p < 0.05.
The rice substitute produced a postprandial glucose response (24.17 ± 9.88) and glycemic index (48.33 ± 19.75) that were significantly lower than those of white rice (36.20 ± 11.59 and 72.39 ± 23.17) (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that the rice substitute triggers a better glycemic response than white rice and can serve as a dietary alternative to support blood glucose control.