ABSTRACT
Selected traditional Nigerian diets: Garri with afang soup, pounded yam with edikang ikong soup and ekpang nkukwo alongside a reference diet, plantain with beans porridge, were investigated for their efficacy for use in management of diabetes mellitus. The proximate composition of the diets was analysed using standard methods and thereafter fed to alloxanized rats for 15 days, while monitoring the changes in weight and blood glucose. Fasting blood glucose (FBG) results was significantly reduced (p<0.05) (initial and final) upon feeding garri with afang soup (25.61%) and pounded yam with edikang ekong soup (25.19%) relative to the diabetic control (5.19%). These reductions compared well with the reference diet, although its extent of glycaemic control was higher (37.22%). Body and relative liver weight changes over the period animals received the traditional diets were not significantly different (p>0.05) from that of the reference diet. Whereas the proximate composition components including crude proteins, fibre, ash and carbohydrate were not significantly different (p>0.05) compared to the reference diet; only crude fat and hence caloric value was significantly higher (p<0.05) in reference diet compared to the three traditional diets. From the results of this investigation, it is clear that the traditional diets studied can be effective in glycaemic control, hence could serve as effective substitutes for plantain with beans, usually recommended by health care givers.