Know about Glycemic Index

What is Glycemic Index ?

Glycemic Index (GI) is a relative ranking of carbohydrate in foods according to how they affect blood glucose levels. foods with high GI digest and absorbe quickly. The rate of blood sugar  rise is higher. This increases the insulin surge. This is harmful for health. It increases the risk of Diabetes and Coronary Heart Disease. Foods with Low Glycemic index are good for health. For a good health we should take foods with low glycemic index.

What is low glycemic index foods?

Carbohydrates with  GI value 55 or less are called low Glycemic index foods.

What is the difference in metabolism of low glycemic index foods?

Foods with low GI value are –

• Slowly digested
• Slowly absorbed
• Slowly metabolised
• cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose
• Prevents insulin surge.
• Lower and slower rise in insulin levels.

What is the issues with foods with high glycemic index?

Glycemic index gives you an idea about how fast your body converts the carbs in a food into glucose. High glycemic index foods –

• Digest fast
• Absorbs  fast
• Blood Sugar increase fast
• Rate of blood sugar increase is fast.

Which food is taken as standard for comparison in  glycemic index?

Glucose has high glycemic index. It is taken as standard with which other foods compared.

GI of glucose is 100.

GI < 55  is taken as low GI foods.

What is glycemic index of Eggs and fish ?

• EGGS- 42
• FISH -28

What is glycemic index of Fruits ?

• APPLE – 50
• ORANGE-39
• BANANA-79

Health benefits of low GI foods?

Scientific evidence have shown that individuals who followed a low-GI diet over many years were at a significantly lower risk for developing –

• Type 2 diabetes.
• Coronary heart disease,
• Age-related macular degeneration than others.

How to choose the foods with glycemic index?

Foods with the glycemic index-

• 55 or less = Low (good for health)
• 56- 69 = Medium
• 70 or higher = High (bad)

What are Low Gi foods?

Low GI foods :

• Green vegetables,
• most fruits,
• raw carrots,
• kidney beans,
• chickpeas,
• Lentils
• bran breakfast cereals.

What is the difference between white rice,brown rice  etc GI?

COMMON CARBOHYDRATE FOODS

White bread (baseline) Carbohydrate-rich    100 ± 0

White pasta Carbohydrate-rich                     46 ± 10

Brown pasta Carbohydrate-rich                    68 ± 10

Grain bread Carbohydrate-rich                     60 ± 12

Brown rice Carbohydrate-rich                      104 ± 18

French fries Carbohydrate-rich                     71 ± 16

White rice Carbohydrate-rich                       110 ± 15

Whole-meal bread  Carbohydrate-rich         97 ± 17

What are the glycemic index of common foods?

Low GI Foods (55 or less)

• 100% stone-ground whole wheat or pumpernickel bread
• Oatmeal (rolled or steel-cut), oat bran, muesli
• Pasta, converted rice, barley, bulgar
• Sweet potato, corn, yam, lima/butter beans, peas, legumes and lentils
• Most fruits, non-starchy vegetables and carrots

Medium GI (56-69)

• Whole wheat, rye and pita bread
• Quick oats
• Brown, wild or basmati rice, couscous

High GI (70 or more)

• White bread or bagel
• Corn flakes, puffed rice, bran flakes, instant oatmeal
• Short grain white rice, rice pasta, macaroni and cheese from mix
• Russet potato, pumpkin
• Rice cakes, popcorn, saltine crackers
• melons and pineapple

www.femelife.com