Glycemic Index


The glycemic index (GI) rates carbohydrate foods on how quickly blood sugar / glucose levels increase in the 2 - 3 hours after eating as the carbs are converted into glucose. Generally fat or protein doesn’t increase glucose levels.

Eating higher GI foods produces a rapid increase in blood glucose levels, triggering the pancreas to produces insulin. Insulin causes the body’s muscle & liver cells to attempt to store the excess glucose. Imagine insulin as a shuttle, moving glucose from just digested foods into storage. If the digestive system is pumping glucose into the blood stream quicker than insulin can move it into the muscles/liver or glucose stays high too long, the body will convert the excess glucose into fat.

Eating lower GI foods produces slower glucose raise, little insulin & fat storage, even if you have eaten high fat content foods!


How is the GI or GL of a food determined

• Test foods are fed to volunteers in portions that contain 50g of available carbs, excluding fiber.
• The glucose / insulin response over the next 2 - 3 hours is measured.
• The result is calculated as a % of the value for the reference food, usually white bread.

Researchers measured the GI of over 300 foods & found many surprises. For example, baked potatoes (GI=121) rated almost as high as white sugar (GI=142). Who would eat a baked potato sized serving of white sugar & think it was doing you any good?

The Glycemic Load (GL) is somewhat different as it is based on the active carb content of a normal serve of the food and thus is more relavant to meal planning. The total GL of a meal should be 3,000 or less from the long term Nurses Study.

GL = GI * active carbs in the serve


Are there Other Important Diet Considerations

The GI/ GL isn't the only criteria when selecting foods as the total amount of carbs, amount & type of fat, fiber & protein are all important. Don't eat more carbs than your need, as the number of grams times the GI is what is important.

We should minimize eating saturated / trans fat & eat more fiber. Fats from cold-water fish, olive & flax oil are beneficial.

Cooking, processing & age all effect a food's GI. In under-ripe bananas (GI=43), 85% of the carbs are starch, changing to sugar as the banana ripens (GI=74). The GI of wheat, maize & oats increases, from whole grains (low GI), cracked grains, coarse flour, to fine flour (high GI) due to smaller particle size, which helps rapid digestion & glucose raise.

Pizza keeps glucose up longer than any other food. Researchers compared a pizza meal with a control meal that included high GI foods & found the initial glucose increase was similar. But, for the pizza meal, glucose was still high even after 4-5 hours.


RICE

Rice can have a high GI (36 - 128). The important factor is the ratio of amylose to amylopectin. Low amylose rice (Calrose) is the highest. Basmati, a long grain fragrant rice & Doongara, a new variety, have medium GI's because of their high amylose. Sweet has no amylose, makes the best sauces / gravies & is used in Asian restaurants. Long-grain has the highest amylose & short-grain the lowest. Rice is also brown (low GI) or white (high GI). Brown long-grain has the lowest GI.

Rice rated lowest to highest:

• Long grain
• Medium grain
• Short grain
• Sweet, Sticky & Waxy.

POTATOES The Pontiac with its pink skin, low starch & a GI=80, stands out. The link between starch & GI’s is strong. Harvested before they mature, potatoes are low in starch & GI, later, they have a higher starch & GI.

High Fructose Corn Syrup & Maltodextrin

High fructose corn syrup is endemic in processed foods. Fructose is not high fructose corn syrup, which is a mix of 50% fructose & 50% glucose with a high GI=89. Maltodextrin, used in many prepared foods, has an even higher GI=137.

ENERGY BARS Using high GI Foods & Drinks (Energy Bars, Energy Drinks) is usually NOT a good idea as the high insulin spikes produced can STOP fat being drawn from the fat cells to supply the bodies energy needs. If you don’t use ALL of the glucose produced, you will put on fat & teach your body NOT to use stored fat for energy.

All things being equal, a low GI food is preferred. Their slower glucose release is more suited to normal day to day energy requirements & reduces fat storage naturally without really trying. The numbers are in respect to white bread being 100. Multiply the GI’s by 0.7 to convert to glucose = 100.


ASIAN INDIAN:

Bengal gram dal (chana dal) 16
Rajmah (red kidney beans) 27
Baisen (chick pea flour) chapati 39
Green gram (mung beans) 54
Barley chapati 61
Black gram 61
Black gram dal with semolina 66
Horse gram 73
Bengal gram dal with semolina 77
Whole greengram 81
Bajra (millet) 82
Maize chapati 89
Green gram dal with semolina 89
Semolina 94
Varagu 97
Banana, unripe, steamed 1 hr. 100
Tapioca, steamed 1 hr. 100
Jowar 110
Green gram dal + paspalum scorbic. 111
Ragi (or Raggi) 123


AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL:

Mulga seed (Acacia aneura) 11
Blackbean seed 11
Cheeky yam 49
Macrozamia communis 57
Bush honey, sugar bag 61
Bread (Acacia coriacea) 66
Bunya nut pine 67
Castanospermum australe 106


BAKERY PRODUCTS:

Cake, sponge 66
Cake, banana, made with sugar 67
Cake, pound 77
Cake, banana, made without sugar 79
Pastry 84
Pizza, cheese 86
Muffins 88
Cake, flan 93
Cake, angel food 95
Croissant 96
Crumpet 98
Donut 108
Waffle 109


BEVERAGES:

Milk, chocolate, artifically sweet 34
Milk, full fat 39
So Good (Sanitarium) 43
Soy milk 43
Milk, skim 46
Milk, chocolate, sugar sweetened 49
Apple juice 58
Yakult (fermented milk) 64
Pineapple juice 66
Grapefruit juice 69
Orange juice 74
Cordial, orange 94
Soft drink, Fanta 97
Lucozade 136


BREADS:

Bürgen Soy Lin 27
Bürgen Oat Bran & Honey Loaf 43
Bürgen Mixed Grain 48
Barley kernel bread 55
Bürgen Fruit Loaf 62
Holsom's 64
Rye Kernel bread 66
Fruit loaf 67
Oat bran bread 68
Mixed grain bread 69
Pumpernickel 71
Bulger bread 75
Linseed rye bread 78
Pita bread, white 82
Hamburger bun 87
Rye flour bread 92
Semolina bread 92
Oat kernel bread 93
Barley flour bread 95
Wheat bread, high fiber 97
Wheat bread, wholemeal flour 99
Melba toast 100
Bread, White (Reference) 100
Wheat bread, white 101
Bagel, white 103
Kaiser rolls 104
Whole-wheat snack bread 105
Bread stuffing 106
Wheat bread, Wonderwhite 112
Wheat bread, gluten free 129
French baguette 136


BREAKFAST CEREALS:

Rice Bran 27
Kelloggs' All Bran Fruit 'n Oats 55
Kelloggs' Guardian 59
All-bran 60
Red River Cereal 70
Bran Buds 75
Special K 77
Oat Bran 78
Kelloggs' Honey Smacks 78
Muesli 80
Kelloggs' Mini-Wheats (w/wheat) 81
Bran Chex 83
Kelloggs' Just Right 84
Porridge (oatmeal) 87
Life 94
Nutri-grain 94
Grapenuts 96
Sustain 97
Shredded Wheat 99
Kelloggs' Mini-Wheats (b/currant) 99
Cream of Wheat 100
Wheat Biscuit 100
Golden Grahams 102
Pro Stars 102
Sultana Bran 102
Puffed Wheat 105
Cheerios 106
Corn Bran 107
Breakfast bar 109
Total 109
Cocopops 110
Post Flakes 114
Rice Krispies 117
Team 117
Corn Chex 118
Cornflakes 119
Crispix 124
Rice Chex 127
Rice Bubbles 128


CHINESE FOODS:

Lungkow bean thread 37
Rice vermicelli 83


COOKIES:

Oatmeal cookies 79
Rich Tea cookies 79
Digestives 84
Shredded Wheatmeal 89
Shortbread 91
Arrowroot 95
Graham Wafers 106
Vanilla Wafers 110
Morning Coffee cookies 113


CRACKERS:

Jatz 79
High Fibre Rye Crispread 93
Breton Wheat Crackers 96
Stoned Wheat Thins 96
Sao 100
Water Crackers 102
Rice Cakes 110
Puffed Crispbread 116


DAIRY FOODS:

Yogurt, low fat, artifically sweet 20
Milk, chocolate, artifically sweet 34
Milk + 30 g bran 38
Milk, full fat 39
Milk, skim 46
Yogurt, low fat, fruit sugar sweet 47
Milk, chocolate, sugar sweetened 49
Yogurt, unspecified 51
Milk + custard + starch + sugar 61
Yakult (fermented milk) 64
Ice cream, low fat 71
Ice cream 87


FRUIT & FRUIT PRODUCTS:

Cherries 32
Grapefruit 36
Apricots, dried 44
Pear, fresh 53
Apple 54
Plum 55
Apple juice 58
Peach, fresh 60
Orange 63
Pear, canned 63
Grapes 66
Pineapple juice 66
Peach, canned 67
Grapefruit juice 69
Orange juice 74
Kiwifruit 75
Banana 77
Fruit cocktail 79
Mango 80
Sultanas 80
Apricots, fresh 82
Pawpaw 83
Apricots, canned, syrup 91
Raisins 91
Rockmelon (muskmelon) 93
Pineapple 94
Watermelon 103


GRAINS, RICE:

Barley, pearled 36
Rye 48
Wheat kernels 59
Rice, instant, boiled 1 min 65
Bulgur 68
Rice, parboiled 68
Rice, parboiled, high amylose 69
Barley, cracked 72
Wheat, quick cooking 77
Buckwheat 78
Sweet corn 78
Rice, specialty 78
Rice, brown 79
Rice, wild, Saskatchewan 81
Rice, white 83
Rice, white, high amylose 83
Couscous 93
Barley, rolled 94
Rice, Mahatma Premium 94
Taco shells 97
Cornmeal 98
Millet 101

Rice, Pedle 109 Rice, Sunbrown Quick 114
Tapioca, boiled with milk 115
Rice, Calrose 124
Rice, parboiled, low amylose Pelde 124
Rice, white, low amylose 126
Rice, instant, boiled 6 min 128


LEGUMES:

Soya beans, canned 20
Soya beans 25
Lentils, red 36
Beans, dried, not specified 40
Lentils, not specified 41
Kidney beans 42
Lentils, green 42
Butter beans + 5 g. Sucrose 43
Butter beans + 10 g. Sucrose 44
Butter beans 44
Split peas, yellow, boiled 45
Lima beans, baby, frozen 46
Chick peas (garbanzo beans) 47
Kidney beans, autoclaved 49
Haricot/navy beans 54
Pinto beans 55
Chick peas, curry, canned 58
Black-eyed beans 59
Chick peas, canned 60
Pinto beans, canned 64
Romano beans 65
Baked beans, canned 69
Kidney beans, canned 74
Lentils, green, canned 74
Butter beans + 15 g. Sucrose 77
Beans, dried, P. vulgaris 100
Broad beans (fava beans) 113


MEXICAN:

Nopal prickly pear cactus 10
Black beans 43
Brown beans 54


MISCELLANEOUS:

Sausages 40
Vitari 40
So Good (Sanitarium) 43
Nutella spread (Ferrero) 46
Fish fingers 54
Ultracal 55
Sustagen Hospital Formula 61
VO2 Max Energy Bar (choc Mars) 69
Power Bar (Powerfoods) 81
Tofu frozen desert, non-dairy 164


PACIFIC ISLAND FOODS:

Sweet potato (Ipamoea batatas) 63
Taro 77
Breadfruit 97


PASTA:

Spaghetti, protein enriched 38
Fettuccine 46
Vermicelli 50
Spaghetti, wholemeal 53
Star pastina 54
Ravioli, durum, meat filled 56
Spaghetti, boiled 5 min 52
Spaghetti, white 59
Spirali, durum 61
Capellini 64
Macaroni 64
Linguine 65
Instant noodles 67
Tortellini, cheese 71
Spaghetti, durum 78
Macaroni & Cheese 92
Gnocchi 95
Rice pasta, brown 131


PIMA INDIAN:

Acorns stewed with venison 23
Mesquite cakes 36
Yellow teparies broth 41
White teparies broth 44
Lima beans broth 51
Corn tortilla w/desert ironwood 54
Corn hominy (not modern corn) 57
Fruit leather 100
Cactus jam 130


ROOT VEGETABLES:

Yam 73
Sweet potato 77
Potato, Pontiac, boiled 80
Potato, white, not specified, boiled 80
Potato, new 81
Potato, white, Ontario 85
Potato, canned 87
Potato, Pr. Edward Island, boiled 90
Beets 91
Potato, steamed 93
Potato mashed 100
Carrots 101
Swede (rutabaga) 103
Potato, boiled, mashed 104
French-fries 107
Potato, microwaved 117
Potato, instant 118
Potato, baked 121
Parsnips 139


SNACK FOOD & CONFECTIONARY:

Peanuts 21
Vitari 40
Nutella spread (Ferrero) 46
Mars M&Ms (peanut) 46
Mars Snickers Bar 57
Mars Twix Cookie Bars (caramel) 62
Mars Chocolate (Dove) 63
Chocolate 70
Potato crisps 77
Popcorn 79
Power Bar (Powerfoods) 81
Muesli Bars 87
Mars Whole Grain Bars (choc chip) 87
Mars Bar 91
Mars Skittles 98
Life Savers 100
Corn chips 105
Jelly beans 114
Pretzels 116


SOUPS:

Tomato Soup 54
Lentil soup, canned 63
Split pea soup 86
Black bean soup 92
Green pea soup, canned 94


SOUTH AFRICAN:

Gram dal (chana dal) 7
Brown beans 34
M'fino wild greens 97
Maize meal porridge, unrefined 101
Maize meal porridge, refined 106


SUGARS:

Fructose 32
Lactose 65
Honey 83
High fructose corn syrup 89
Sucrose 92
Glucose 137
Maltodextrin 137
Sugar, White 142
Glucose tablets 146
Maltose 150


VEGETABLES:

Peas, dried 32
Marrowfat, dried 56
Peas, green 68
Sweet corn 78
Pumpkin 107