Abstract
Bread typically exhibits a high glycemic index (GI), motivating interest in plant-based ingredients that can modulate starch digestibility while enhancing nutritional value. This study evaluated the technological, compositional, and digestibility effects of incorporating leaf flours from Cnidoscolus aconitifolius and Crotalaria longirostrata into wheat bread. Both flours increased protein, dietary fiber, and phenolic content, while modifying dough performance and crumb structure. C. longirostrata produced the strongest reduction in predicted glycemic index (pGI), decreasing values by 5.2% on Day 0 and up to 17.8% by Day 5, associated with the highest accumulation of resistant starch. However, this nutritional advantage was accompanied by marked technological drawbacks, including reduced loaf volume and denser crumb. In contrast, C. aconitifolius exhibited better technological compatibility, generating breads with higher volume and more cohesive crumb structure, while still achieving meaningful pGI reductions (6.1% on Day 0 and 9.6% by Day 5). Firmness evolution during storage reflected staling-related structural changes but did not involve direct measurement of starch retrogradation. Overall, this work highlights the functional potential of whole leaf flours to enhance the nutritional profile and glycemic behavior of bread, while underscoring the formulation-dependent trade-offs that influence technological quality. These findings provide a foundation for developing optimized, lower-glycemic baked products using underutilized botanical ingredients.