The glycemic index has been around for more than 20 years. It is a good idea to understand it, because choosing foods with a low GI rating will help you:
• Control your blood glucose levels
• Control your cholesterol levels
• Control your appetite
• Lower your risk of getting heart disease
• Lower your risk of getting Type 2 diabetes
The basics
When you eat carbohydrates, glucose breaks down during digestion and gives you energy. After you eat, your blood glucose level rises. The GI ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much and how quickly they raise blood glucose levels. This is the “glycemic response.”
Foods that raise glucose levels quickly have a higher GI rating than foods that raise glucose levels more slowly. The lower the rating, the better the carbohydrate.
The rating is influenced by many factors, including how much food you eat, how much the food is processed or even how the food is prepared. For example, pasta that is cooked al dente, or firm, has a slower glycemic response than pasta that is overcooked.
Good carbs, better carbs
Most low GI foods are healthier choices, because they are usually lower in calories and fat, while being higher in fiber, nutrients and antioxidants. Choosing low GI foods more often may help increase levels of HDL (healthy) cholesterol in your blood and might help you control your appetite, as they tend to keep you feeling full, longer.
Choose wisely, choose well
Try to choose low and medium GI foods more often than high GI foods. A GI of 55 or less ranks as low; a GI of 56 to 69 is medium, and a GI of 70 or more ranks is high. Use the list to the right to help you make healthier choices.
