What is a glycemic index? | glycemic Load | low GI foods to keep your blood sugar stable

 

What is a glycemic index?

The glycemic index is used to classify foods that contain carbohydrates, their potential for raising blood sugar and how quickly they raise your blood sugar.

The Glycemic Index (GI) measures the impact of carbohydrates on your blood sugar level. Foods are given a number from 0 to 100 based on how quickly they cause your blood sugar to rise after you eat them. Foods with higher GIs can cause rapid spikes in blood glucose while those with lower GIs have less of an effect.

Diabetes is of two types.

1. Type I diabetes: The patient naturally has low insulin levels.
2. Type II diabetes: The patient has a high level of insulin resistance

Why you might follow a low-GI diet

You might choose to follow a low-GI diet because you:

• Want to lose weight or keep a healthy weight
• Need help planning and eating healthier meals
• Need help keeping blood sugar levels from going too high or low as part of a diabetes treatment plan
• Want to lower risk of diabetes or diseases of the heart or blood vessels

Understanding GI numbers

The glycemic index ranks the effect food has on blood sugar levels. A low-GI diet suggests foods that have low GI values. The categories are:

• Low GI :        1 to 55

• Medium GI :  56 to 69

• High GI :       70 and higher

*Glycemic Load = Glycemic Index x Net Carbs /100.

In order to maintain your blood sugar level you should consider glycemic load as well.

Low glycemic index foods

Dr. says low glycemic index foods are ones with a number that’s 50 or less. Some of these include:

• Vegetables: Peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, lettuce and eggplants.
• Fruits: Strawberries, apples, lemons, limes and pears.
• Legumes: Chickpeas, beans (dried or boiled) and legumes.
• Dairy: Whole/full-fat milk and plain yogurt.
• Sweets: Dark chocolate with more than 70% cocoa.
• Nuts: Cashews and peanuts.

High glycemic index foods

High glycemic index foods tend to have a number over 70 and include:

• Processed foods: Corn chips and pretzels.
• Sugar-containing beverages: Soda, sweet tea and sports drinks.
• Fast food: Cheeseburgers, fried chicken and pizza.
• Bakery/grains: Doughnuts, white bread and cereals (unless whole grain).
• Potatoes: Mashed potatoes and French fries.

Low-Glycemic Fruit	Low-Glycemic Vegetables
Apples Dried apricots Under-ripe banana Peaches Strawberries Oranges Cherries Coconut Cranberries Blueberries Pears Plums Grapefruit	Carrots Green peas Onions Lettuce Greens (spinach, kale, collards, beet) Green beans Tomatoes Cucumbers Bok choy Mushrooms Artichokes Brussels sprouts Cabbage Broccoli Cauliflower Celery Eggplant Peppers (bell peppers, jalapenos, serrano, etc.) Zucchini and crookneck squash Snow peas

Carb-Free and Very Low-Carb Foods (Very Low GI)

• Chicken, turkey, and other poultry
• Eggs and egg whites
• Fish and shellfish
• Beef, pork, and other meat
• Olive oil, canola oil, and other oils
• Butter, shortening, and lard
• Mayonnaise
• Olives
• Avocado