Glycemic Index
- 01 | Glycemic Index
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The glycemic index of food is a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood glucose (blood sugar) levels. Carbohydrate foods that break down quickly during digestion have the highest glycemic indexes. Their blood sugar response is fast and high. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have low glycemic indexes.
What is the significance of a Glycemic Index?
- Low GI means a smaller rise in blood sugar and can help control established diabetes
- Low GI diets can help people lose weight and lower blood lipids
- Low GI diets can improve the body's sensitivity to insulin
- High GI foods can help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise
How to switch to a low GI diet
- Breakfast cereals based on wheat bran, barley and oats
- "Grainy" breads made with whole seeds
- Vinegar and lemon juice dressings
In short, the goal should be to build a good plan including the low Glycemic Index foods. This way, hunger is minimized, and there is less of a tendency to "cheat" or overeat. Consequently, you can continue to lose body fat or maintain your weight - once the excess pounds have been lost.
Even for those whose main objective is not fat loss, foods that are low on the glycemic index will help alleviate mood swings and regulate energy levels.
Some points to ponder:
- Foods that stimulate insulin surges can cause people to eat 60-70% more calories at the following meal.
- People who consume foods relatively high in glucose (such as white bread, most commercial whole wheat bread, and raisins) eat an average or 200 calories more at the next meal than those who eat fructose (a sugar found in fruits).
Low glycemic index foods can be mixed with modest quantities of high glycemic foods without losing their hunger reducing effect.
The purpose of the chart is not to have you eliminate those nutritious choices from your diet. Instead, balance the foods that are "less desirable" by eating them with foods that are "desirable."
High glycemic foods:
- Elevate insulin and blood glucose
- Stimulate fat-storage
- Exacerbate hyperactivity
- Reduce sports performance
A low glycemic food plan is beneficial for:
- Helping balance blood glucose and insulin levels
- Reducing excess body fat levels
- Increasing sports performance
- Helps to regain the insulin sensitivity to glucose (repairs insulin resistance)
Low glycemic food plans focus on reducing ingestion of foods that elevate insulin and stimulate fat-storage. We can't totally eliminate high glycemic foods from our diet, but we can be aware of the glycemic reaction that foods have so we can make better choices.
Low glycemic food plans have been proven to reduce incidence of Type II diabetes and to help control Type I and II diabetes, hypoglycemia and hypertension. Low glycemic foods do not stimulate food-craving hormones like Neuropeptide Y and Lipoprotein Lipase. Stimulation of these hormones can cause chemically-triggered cravings for food and uncontrolled eating binges.
Obviously, low glycemic food plans can be followed for more than 7 days. You can create your own low glycemic food plan with many variations. Be sure to ingest enough calories per day to meet the needs of your own body. For optimum health, select a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and foods daily. This helps assure an adequate intake of Phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals.
- 02 | List of GI Foods
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Fruits
Food GI Value Cherries 22 Grapefruit 25 Prunes 29 Apricots, dried 30 Apple 38 Peach, canned in juice 38 Pear, fresh 38 Plum 39 Strawberries 40 Orange, Navel 42 Peach, fresh 42 Pear, canned 43 Grapes 46 Papaya 56 Banana 52 Kiwi 58 Fruit Cocktail 55 Mango 51 Apricots, fresh 57 Figs, dried 61 Apricots, canned 64 Raisins 56 Cantaloupe 65 Pineapple, fresh 66 Watermelon 72 Dates 103 Cereals
Food GI Value Pancakes 67 Waffles 76 All Bran with Fiber 38 Bran Buds 47 Oatmeal 49 Muesli 43 Oat Bran 55 Bran Chex 58 Raisin Bran 61 Cream of Wheat 66 Quick (One Minute) Oats 66 Puffed Wheat 67 Special K 69 Bran Flakes 74 Cheerios 74 Cream of Wheat Instant 74 Shredded Wheat 75 Grapenuts 71 Corn Chex 83 Corn Flakes 92 Vegetables
Food GI Value Broccoli 10 Cabbage 10 Lettuce 10 Mushrooms 10 Onions 10 Red Peppers 10 Carrots 49 Green peas 48 Corn, fresh 60 Beets 64 Pumpkin 75 Parsnips 97 Pasta
Food GI Value Spaghetti, whole wheat 37 Star Pastina 38 Fettuccini (egg) 32 Spaghetti, white 38 Spiral Pasta 43 Capellini 45 Linguine 46 Macaroni 47 Rice vermicelli 58 Rice & Grains
Food GI Value Converted, White 38 Brown 55 Long grain, White 44 Wild rice 87 Basmati 58 Aborio 69 Short grain, White 72 Instant, White 87 Glutinous (Sticky) 98 Barley, pearled 25 Buckwheat 54 Couscous 65 Cornmeal 68 Dairy Foods
Food GI Value Yogurt, artificially sweetened 14 Skim milk 32 Yogurt, sweetened 33 Whole milk 31 Ice cream, low fat 43 Ice cream, premium 38 Juices
Food GI Value Tomato 38 Apple 40 Pineapple 46 Grapefuit 48 Orange 53 Cranberry Juice Cocktail 68 Breads
Food GI Value Pumpernickel 41 Sourdough 53 Stone Ground whole wheat 53 Pita, whole wheat 57 Whole Meal Rye 58 Hamburger bun 61 Whole wheat (100%) 77 Croissant 67 Taco Shell 68 Bagel 72 White 70 Kaiser roll 73 Bread stuffing 74 French Baguette 95 Potatoes
Food GI Value Yam 37 Sweet 44 New 57 Canned 65 White skinned mashed 70 French Fries 75 Instant Mashed 86 Red Skinned, boiled 88 Baked 85 Soups
Food GI Value Tomato 38 Minestrone 39 Lentil 44 Black Bean 64 Pea 66 Beans & Peas
Food GI Value Chana Dal 8 Chickpeas, dried 28 Kidney Beans, dried 28 Lentils 29 Lima Beans (frozen) 32 Yellow Split Peas 32 Chickpeas, canned 42 Blackeyed Peas, canned 42 Baked Beans 48 Kidney Beans, canned 52
