Glycemic Index Study of Honey Tonic Herbal from Sweet Honey-West Kalimantan and Bitter Honey-Bangka Belitung

Abstract

Background: Our research continues two previous studies on the best formulation based on bitter tonic (bajakah, Uncaria lanosa var. glabrata) mixed with sweet honey (West Kalimantan) and Citrus xamblycarpa. The other was a bitter tonic (Bangka-Belitung) mixed with Citrus hystrix. We didn’t know the function of tonics, so we studied to test the tonics for antidiabetics. Most publications on fructose in honey seem to be reducing hyperglycemia. We believed the alkaloids and flavonoids from bajakah, honey, and citrus could lower blood glucose in healthy men. In the future, people could drink tonics without increasing their blood glucose. Objective: to compare the GI (Glycemic Index) and GL (Glycemic Load) in honey tonic herbal based on sweet honey and honey tonic herbal based on bitter honey. Methods: Our experimental research used a pretest-posttest design with a control group design. The 12 subjects were younger, healthy men, and the study was conducted in September-November 2023. Two treatments are honey tonic herbal 1 (bajakah extract + sweet honey + limau citrus extract) and honey tonic herbal 2 (bitter honey + kefir citrus extract). The data collected in this study includes proximate, GI, and GL. Data were analyzed in an independent samples t-test using the Mann-Whitney method (alpha 5%).Results: The two honey tonic herbals were the same, with higher IG and BG. Descriptive honey tonic herbal 2 showed a faster decrease in blood sugar after 30 minutes. Conclusion: to produce a low GI, the recommended BG consumed by each tonic is 30.97g and 12.7g, respectively.