Contribution to the Nutritional Management of Diabetes in Cote d’Ivoire: Table of Nutritional Values, Glycemic Index, and Glycemic Load of Traditional Foods

Diabetes mellitus is rapidly increasing in sub-Saharan Africa, while locally adapted nutritional tools remain scarce. In Cote d’Ivoire, therapeutic recommendations for people with diabetes are often based on foreign databases that do not reflect the composition or glycemic characteristics of local foods. This study aimed to establish an integrated Ivorian reference table combining nutritional composition, glycemic index (GI), and glycemic load (GL) of traditional foods to guide nutrition education, dietary counseling, and public health strategies. Thirty commonly consumed dishes, prepared from standardized recipes, were analyzed for their proximate composition and evaluated for glycemic response in 30 healthy adults under controlled conditions, following the ISO 26642:2010 protocol. Test portions were standardized to 50 g of available carbohydrate. Capillary glucose was measured from 0 to 120 minutes, and the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) was calculated using the trapezoidal method, excluding baseline values. GI was expressed as a percentage of glucose (reference = 100) and GL as (GI/100) × available carbohydrate per portion. GI and GL values varied widely depending on the recipe and portion size. High values were recorded for attieke (GI 63–88; GL 46–47), placali (GI 106; GL 16), and white rice (GI 54; GL 28). Conversely, mixed dishes such as toh + okra sauce (GI 57; GL 12), rice + peanut sauce (GI 46; GL 13), and pounded plantain + okra sauce (GI 35–65; GL 6–11) exhibited more favorable glycemic profiles compatible with diabetes dietary management. These findings emphasize the importance of evaluating complete meals rather than single foods when providing dietary guidance, as sauces rich in fiber, protein, and lipids (okra or peanut) substantially modulate postprandial glycemia. The study resulted in two standardized tables: (i) a nutritional composition table for Ivorian traditional dishes and (ii) a corresponding GI/GL table. Together, these constitute the first comprehensive national reference integrating both nutrient and glycemic characteristics of local mixed meals. The resulting tools are intended to improve diabetes care, promote culturally relevant nutrition counseling, and support dietary interventions within clinical and community settings. This approach offers a replicable model for other African contexts seeking to bridge the gap between traditional diets and evidence-based metabolic health management.