Formulating Green Bean and Purple Sweet Potato Snack Bars to Prevent Diabetes Mellitus

One of the leading causes of the rising prevalence of diabetes mellitus is an imbalance in dietary intake, particularly the consumption of high-sugar, low-fiber foods, which can significantly elevate blood glucose 2 hours post-prandial. In contrast, high-fiber foods with a low glycemic index can help prevent such spikes. Snack bars offer a promising vehicle for delivering high dietary fiber, especially when made from ingredients with a low glycemic index, such as green beans and purple sweet potatoes. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of snack bars made from purple sweet potatoes and mung beans to prevent increases in blood sugar associated with diabetes mellitus. This study used Five formulations were developed using various ratios of purple sweet potato flour and mung bean flour. P0 (100:0), P1 (75:25), P2 (50:50), P3 (25:75), and P4 (0:100). The snack bars were analyzed for anthocyanin content, amylose content, and acceptance test. Results showed that the 50:50 formulation (P2) had the highest amylose content, while the formulation made entirely from purple sweet potato flour (P0) had the highest anthocyanin content and received the highest acceptance ratings from the panel. These findings suggest that purple sweet potato and mung bean- based snack bars have potential as functional foods for managing blood glucose levels.