We are all aware that Glucose is a primary source of energy for the body. it requires no further digestion and is available in your blood. Carbohydrates (carbs) is one such food group that breaks down into glucose during digestion.

The type of carbs that you consume will determine the amount of glucose present in your blood. The Glycemic Index (GI) is one such indicator which scales from 0 to 100, telling you the glucose level in your blood. The lower the GI, the better the food is for your body during the energy conversion process. Foods rich in protein and fats usually don’t have a GI value. While they do cause an eventual increase in blood sugar level, the process is slow unlike carbs/sugars which can cause an immediate spike.

Generally, when eating high GI foods together with proteins and fats, it slows down the body’s ability to convert the sugar as quickly. Slower sugar conversion results in a lower blood sugar spike. What this means is, if you ingest a fast-absorbing protein like casein which is found in milk, even though you will increase overall sugar levels, you decrease the effect of insulin and delay excessive absorption of the sugars in your blood. This in essence lowers the GI load on your body.

GI Standard Values (GI Low- less than 55, GI High- above 70)

Most fruits, vegetables and whole wheat foods  that we consume are on the lower side, with values in the 30s and 40s. On the other higher side of the scale, potatoes rank way up in the 80s, and white bread falls in the 70s.

White Pasta vs White Bread – Both made from Refined flour

Non-whole grain bread and pasta noodles both contain similar amounts of starch. Their starches are similarly composed of long chains of the simple sugar, glucose. The structure of bread allows more of the starch to be exposed to enzymes in our saliva and in our digestive tract. This greater exposure to enzymes allows more of the starch to be broken down into sugars giving white bread a higher GI value than white pasta. Effectively, both are still high on the GI value scale so moderate consumption will be recommended.

Insulin Insensitivity

The problem with ingesting foods with a high GI load over a prolonged time  can cause your body to become insensitive to a hormone called insulin. In the early stages (pre-diabetic) this can be reversible by making dietary and lifestyle changes. If no changes are made, and the person continues to eat high quantities of GI rich foods, it can lead to type II diabetes.

Know the GI but also the nutrient profile of your foods 

While a very high intake of GI rich foods should be avoided, you must remember that GI load does not measure nutritional intake. The body needs more than sugar for health and some foods while high in GI values, may have benefits that outweigh the disadvantages. Like brown rice, bananas and oats are all foods high in GI values, but they are also high in important minerals, vitamins and proteins essential for a healthy body. Balancing the benefits of reducing GI load while also making sure you get your full nutritional requirements is much more important. Portion size also plays an important role when it comes to such foods.

Much research have shown the benefits of low GI diet in weight loss, lowering the risk of diabetes and eliminating the sudden sugar rush and crashes. However, some studies have also shown no difference in hunger, satiety, or energy level after eating high- or low-GI foods. With research, the results of studies can’t necessarily be replicated and generalized for everyone but yes, for people who eat only high GI foods knowing its bad effects is a must.

Eating sensibly is the key!

Everybody is unique with different metabolisms. Having said that, people’s metabolism also have different effects on blood glucose levels.  And most often, we eat foods in combinations of all different nutritional values. All we have to understand is that even if research trials have shown the benefits of low GI diets, in reality, it is best to only incorporate the knowledge rather than eliminating all high GI foods. That would be impractical and impossible.

Here are some GI values of the most commonly eaten foods.

Enjoy eating healthy and making healthy choices because what makes you feel better on the inside will show on the outside.

High-carbohydrate foods		Breakfast cereals		Fruit and fruit products		Vegetables
White wheat bread	75	Cornflakes	81	Apple, raw	36	Potato, boiled	78
Whole wheat/whole meal bread	74	Wheat flake biscuits	69	Orange, raw	43	Potato, instant mash	87
Specialty grain bread	53	Porridge, rolled oats	55	Banana, raw	51	Potato, french fries	63
Unleavened wheat bread	70	Instant oat porridge	79	Pineapple, raw	59	Carrots, boiled	39
Wheat roti	62	Rice porridge/congee	78	Mango, raw	51	Sweet potato, boiled	63
Chapatti	52	Millet porridge	67	Watermelon, raw	76	Pumpkin, boiled	64
Corn tortilla	46	Muesli	57	Dates, raw	42	Plantain/green banana	55
White rice, boiled	73			Peaches, canned	43	Taro, boiled	53
Brown rice, boiled	68			Strawberry jam/jelly	49	Vegetable soup	48
Barley	28			Apple juice	41
Sweet corn	52			Orange juice	50
Spaghetti, white	49
Spaghetti, whole meal	48
Rice noodles	53
Udon noodles	55
Couscous	65

Dairy products and alternatives		Legumes		Snack products		Sugars
Milk, full fat	39	Chickpeas	28	Chocolate	40	Fructose	15
Milk, skim	37	Kidney beans	24	Popcorn	65	Sucrose	65
Ice cream	51	Lentils	32	Potato crisps	56	Glucose	103
Yogurt, fruit	41	Soya beans	16	Soft drink/soda	59	Honey	61
Soy milk	34			Rice crackers/crisps	87
Rice milk	86