Very often, especially if we suffer from or if we have someone in our environment who suffers from diabetes, we will hear about the famous low glycemic index foods! But what is the glycemic index and by extension low glycemic index foods? Is it preferable to consume them if I suffer from diabetes?
The glycemic index is an indicator, a number, which results from appropriate mathematical calculations and shows us how quickly a specific food increases glucose levels, that is, sugar, in the blood! The higher the glycemic index, the faster, more sharply the sugar levels increase, but also the faster, more sharply they fall!
Foods are classified according to their glycemic index as low, medium and high glycemic index. More specifically:
• High glycemic index foods: their glycemic index is 70 and above
• Moderate glycemic index foods: their glycemic index ranges from 56 to 69
• Low glycemic index foods: their glycemic index is 55 and below
Below are listed, by food group, the foods and the glycemic index category to which they belong:
• BREAD & CEREALS
-Low glycemic index: multigrain bread, sourdough bread, All Bran barley cereal, bulgur, quinoa, corn, whole wheat pasta, al dente pasta, rice noodles
-Moderate glycemic index: rye bread, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, Basmati rice, brown rice, wild rice, couscous, muesli
-High glycemic index: white bread, corn cereal, white rice, rice crackers, crackers
• FRUITS
-Low glycemic index: apple, orange, unripe banana, mango, dates, pear, apricots, berries, melon, grapefruit, peach, plums, pomegranate, apple juice, orange juice
-Moderate glycemic index: pineapple, raisins, cherries, figs (fresh & dried), grapes, kiwi
-High glycemic index: very ripe banana, watermelon
• VEGETABLES
-Low glycemic index: boiled carrots, peas, lemon, mushrooms, green vegetables, tomatoes, soybeans
-Moderate glycemic index: beetroots.
• LEGUMES
-Low glycemic index: chickpeas, beans of all kinds, lentils
• MILK AND ITS PRODUCTS
-Low glycemic index: whole and low-fat milk, soy milk, almond milk, whole and low-fat yogurt
-High glycemic index: rice milk
• SWEETS
-Low glycemic index: ice cream, dark chocolate
-Moderate glycemic index: popcorn, chips, soft drinks
-High glycemic index: chocolate, cookies
• SUGARS AND SWEETENERS
-Low glycemic index: fructose, jam
-Moderate glycemic index: sugar, honey
-High glycemic index: maltose, glucose
People with diabetes are better off consuming foods with a low and/or moderate glycemic index and avoiding foods with a high glycemic index, since as mentioned above, the higher the glycemic index, the faster and more sharply blood sugar levels increase, but also the faster and more sharply they fall, situations that are best avoided in the presence of diabetes.
However, it should be made clear that consuming foods with a low glycemic index should not become an obsession, since the glycemic index of foods depends on many factors such as:
• the physical form of the food, e.g. thin or thick pasta• the degree of ripeness of the food, e.g. ripe or unripe banana
• the method of cooking the food, e.g. baked or fried potato
• the combination of the food with other foods, e.g. plain banana or banana with nuts
In conclusion, the glycemic index is a number that shows us how quickly a food increases glucose levels, that is, sugar, in the blood, and depending on this number, foods are classified as having a low, medium, and high glycemic index. Consuming foods with a lower glycemic index helps to smooth out fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which is beneficial, especially for people with diabetes. However, consuming foods with a lower glycemic index should not be an end in itself, as this index is influenced by many factors!