Coconut flour-supplemented foods are
good for diabetics and weight conscious

By Trinidad P. Trinidad, PhD
Food and Nutrition Research Institute

Coconut flour from sapal is a good source of dietary fiber because it contains 60% total dietary fiber. 

Foods rich in soluble dietary fiber are low glycemic index foods.  Glycemic index or GI is a classification of foods based on glucose response of an individual relative to a standard glucose.

How does dietary fiber present in coconut flour work in preventing diabetes or in maintaining a person's weight?  Dietary fiber slows down the release of glucose with time and therefore needs only enough insulin to break down the glucose into energy.

Foods without dietary fiber results in fast release of glucose with time, which means more insulin is needed to break glucose down.  If a person does not have enough insulin, glucose stays in the blood and therefore can cause high blood glucose and/or hyperglycemia.

Excess glucose can also be stored in the body and increase a person's weight.

A study on bakery products supplemented with increasing amount of coconut flour in 10 healthy and 10 diabetic human subjects was done at the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology in collaboration with the Philippine Coconut Authority.

The study found that increasing levels of coconut flour in bakery products resulted to lower GI of the food.  This has great significance in the control and management of diabetes mellitus and in weight maintenance.  This also means diabetics and weight conscious people should try to add coconut flour in their daily meals.

[For more information on this topic, you may write or call the Director of FNRI, DOST Compound, Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila at telephone numbers (02) 8372934 or (02) 8372071 local 2296. You may also e-mail us at cvcb@fnri.dost.gov.ph or visit our website at http://www.fnri.dost.gov.ph]