Emine DİNÇER, Melisa SAYIN
European Journal of Multidisciplinary Health Sciences - 2025;10(3):234-238
Tarhana is a traditional fermented cereal-yogurt food widely consumed in Türkiye. It is often described as a low-glycemic index (GI) food, but this belief is based mostly on secondary sources, and direct evidence is limited. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro GI of different tarhana varieties produced in Türkiye. Seven types -Konya flour, Beyşehir crisp, Maraş, Elbistan, grape, cornelian cherry, and Muğla Göce tarhana -were analyzed using the Englyst hydrolysis method with white bread as the reference. Hydrolysis index (HI) values were calculated and converted to GI using established equations. GI values ranged from 57.25 +/- 2.22 to 95.09 +/- 0.70, showing clear variation among samples. Konya flour tarhana was classified as low GI, cornelian cherry tarhana as medium GI, and the other five varieties, including grape, Elbistan, and Maraş tarhana, as high GI. These findings challenge the common belief that tarhana is always a low-GI food. They also show that its glycemic response depends strongly on ingredients and processing methods.
