How the GLYCEMIC INDEX Helps You Balance Blood Sugar

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The Glycemic Index (GI) is a measure of how quickly blood sugar levels are raised after a food is consumed. It should be used as part of a healthy diet, especially for those who are trying to lose weight or control their diabetes.

When you constantly eat foods that have a high glycemic index, your blood sugar levels will consistently be raised to high levels.  

This is because these foods digest very quickly in your stomach and intestines, which causes your blood sugar to spike.  

When this happens, your pancreas releases a lot of insulin to “mop up” the blood sugar. Once your blood sugar levels are lowered again, you feel hungry and eat more. You then repeat the cycle. Excessive insulin causes the body to store too much fat, leading to obesity.

GLYCEMIC INDEX

The GLYCEMIC INDEX (GI) is a ranking of the extent to which foods raise blood sugar levels, compared with pure glucose or white bread. (1)

The index, which ranges from 0–100, uses glucose as a reference value (glycemic index of 100).

Slowly absorbed carbohydrates, which are digested gradually, have a low GI rating (55 or below). You can find these in vegetables and most fruits and legumes.

Glycemic index chart(2):

FOODGlycemic index (glucose = 100)
HIGH-CARBOHYDRATE FOODS 
White wheat bread*75 ± 2
Whole wheat/wholemeal bread74 ± 2
Speciality grain bread53 ± 2
Unleavened wheat bread70 ± 5
Wheat roti62 ± 3
Chapatti52 ± 4
Corn tortilla46 ± 4
White rice, boiled*73 ± 4
Brown rice, boiled68 ± 4
Barley28 ± 2
Sweet corn52 ± 5
Spaghetti, white49 ± 2
Spaghetti, wholemeal48 ± 5
Rice noodles†53 ± 7
Udon noodles55 ± 7
Couscous†65 ± 4
  
BREAKFAST CEREALS 
Cornflakes81 ± 6
Wheat flake biscuits69 ± 2
Porridge, rolled oats55 ± 2
Instant oat porridge79 ± 3
Rice porridge/congee78 ± 9
Millet porridge67 ± 5
Muesli57 ± 2
  
FRUIT AND FRUIT PRODUCTS 
Apple, raw†36 ± 2
Orange, raw†43 ± 3
Banana, raw†51 ± 3
Pineapple, raw59 ± 8
Mango, raw†51 ± 5
Watermelon, raw76 ± 4
Dates, raw42 ± 4
Peaches, canned†43 ± 5
Strawberry jam/jelly49 ± 3
Apple juice41 ± 2
Orange juice50 ± 2
  
VEGETABLES 
Potato, boiled78 ± 4
Potato, instant mash87 ± 3
Potato, french fries63 ± 5
Carrots, boiled39 ± 4
Sweet potato, boiled63 ± 6
Pumpkin, boiled64 ± 7
Plantain/green banana55 ± 6
Taro, boiled53 ± 2
Vegetable soup48 ± 5
  
DAIRY PRODUCTS AND ALTERNATIVES 
Milk, full fat39 ± 3
Milk, skim37 ± 4
Ice cream51 ± 3
Yoghurt, fruit41 ± 2
Soy milk34 ± 4
Rice milk86 ± 7
  
LEGUMES 
Chickpeas28 ± 9
Kidney beans24 ± 4
Lentils32 ± 5
Soya beans16 ± 1
  
SNACK PRODUCTS 
Chocolate40 ± 3
Popcorn65 ± 5
Potato crisps56 ± 3
Soft drink/soda59 ± 3
Rice crackers/crisps87 ± 2
  
SUGARS 
Fructose15 ± 4
Sucrose65 ± 4
Glucose103 ± 3
Honey61 ± 3

Data are means ± SEM.

* Low-GI varieties were also identified.

† Average of all available data.

Foods low on the glycemic index tend to release glucose slowly and steadily. Foods with a high glycemic index tend to raise blood sugar levels very quickly.

  • It’s always best to choose alternatives with lower glycemic index scores, when you do eat high-glycemic foods—mix them with protein or other low-GI foods so they release their energy more slowly.

  • Whole grains and high-fibre foods take longer to digest than their refined counterparts, so they can help keep your blood sugar level steady.

  • Foods with fat can make a food’s glycemic index lower. For example, chocolate (which is high in fat) has a medium-low GI because of its makeup. This shows us that we should not only focus on the glycemic index of foods but also pay attention to other aspects like health benefits

Low-GI diets, when combined with other healthy eating habits, can often be a successful weight-loss strategy.

The Glycemic Index is a measure of how quickly blood sugar levels are raised after a food is consumed.

Knowing the GI of your favourite foods will help you plan meals that are both healthy and satisfying.

This technique will help you do just that!

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