The Glycemic Index
What is the Glycemic Index? The Glycemic Index is a tool used to rank carbohydrates based on how they affect our blood glucose and insulin levels. Foods that are high in protein or fat do not cause these levels to raise extreme amounts. Sugary candies and sweets are not the only food items to cause a drastic rise in our blood sugar. If you are diabetic this could be a life threatening condition if left untreated. We now know that some foods we may think of as very healthy might not be the best after all based on the Glycemic Index. Foods are ranked on a scale of 0 – 100, 100 being pure sugar. The higher a carbohydrate falls on the GI Index the more rapidly they are digested and the higher the fluctuation with your blood sugar levels. On the other hand, low GI foods will have a slow absorption rate and will have a gradual raise in blood sugar levels. For years the GI index has been used to help type I and type II diabetes patients manage their disease through diet. Generally speaking a food that is above 70 on the list is considered high GI, 56 to 69 is in the medium range and below 55 is considered a low GI food. Depending on the list you use some of these numbers may vary. What are the benefits of using the Glycemic Index? When you are eating low GI foods the blood glucose is slowly released into your blood stream. Therefore, rather then having an extreme energy burst that dramatically drops off leaving you exhausted, you have long lasting energy all day. It also allows you to feel more full and satisfied throughout the day. As stated earlier high GI foods are rapidly digested leaving you feeling unsatisfied and very hungry shortly after your meal. Other benefits of a low GI diet: Low GI Diets and the low GI lifestyle? It isn’t necessary to switch your entire diet to low GI. Combinations of high GI foods with other foods such as fats and proteins will change the Glycemic index of that particular food and will generally lower it. Use the knowledge of the index to help make better food choices when you plan your meals and snacks. Rather than having a white potato, switch to a sweet potato. The same can be said about corn which is high on the GI list. You can switch that out for a vegetable that is lower on the list such as green beans. The table illustrates high, medium and low GI foods. Think of the GI Index as a stoplight. Stop at foods in the red column, slow down with the yellow column and go for all the foods found in the green column.
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