Dietary glycemic index, glycemic load and metabolic profile in children with phenylketonuria

•In PKU children, overall diet GI and GL were higher than healthy in children.•PKU children had lower blood total and LDL cholesterol than healthy children.•PKU children had higher blood triglycerides than healthy children.•In PKU children an association of overall diet GL with triglyceride glucose index was found.•Adequate management of dietary carbohydrate quality could improve the metabolic profile of PKU children.