Nutritional quality of black wheat flatbread: A therapeutic alternative for diabetes management

Flatbread is consumed all over the world and makes use of the majority of India's wheat crop.The present study aimed to utilize black wheat for the development of flatbread, and to analyze its nutritional quality, viz., nutrient composition, glycemic index, enzyme inhibition, nutrient adequacy, and index of nutritional quality, to pave the way for therapeutic management of diabetes mellitus.Ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and physiological energy value (PEV) content of black wheat flour (BWF) and yellow wheat flour (YWF) differed significantly.BWF had higher protein and lower carbohydrate content than YWF, which could lead to improved glucose response and insulin resistance.BWF was considered a superior source of dietary fiber due to its increased dietary fiber content compared to YWF.Gluten content of BWF was 15% lower than that of YWF, which may impact the strength, elasticity, and texture of the developed food product.Enzyme inhibitory activity of BWF and BWB was higher (50%) than YWF and its flatbread.In comparison to yellow wheat flatbread, one serving of black wheat flatbread could meet an adult Indian man's or woman's increased RDA requirements for protein up to 21% and dietary fiber up to 57%.Black wheat possessed therapeutic potential for the management of hyperglycemia because of its low GI (<55), better enzyme inhibitory activity, and improved nutritional quality (INQ>1).As such, it could be a good substitute for yellow wheat in the preparation of flatbread.