The Glycaemic Index (GI)

Often people mention GI when talking about dieting. GI stands for glycaemic index, which is a rating system for foods containing carbohydrates. It shows how quickly each food affects your blood sugar (glucose) level when that food is eaten on its own.

So what does this mean?

Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested, absorbed and metabolised and result in fluctuations in blood sugar (glucose) levels. Low GI carbohydrates are the ones that produce smaller fluctuations in your blood glucose and insulin levels.

How does managing my GI help?

Eating low GI foods helps long-term health, reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease which is a key part to maintaining weight loss.

GI and Diabetes

Extensive research has been done linking the use the GI or GL as part of the nutritional management of type 1 and type 2 Diabetes (Diabetes UK).

GI and Gestational Diabetes

Recent guidelines by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) linked a low GI diet to a reduced cases of Gestational Diabetes

“Low GI diets are associated with less frequent insulin use and lower birth weight than in control diets, suggesting that it is the most appropriate dietary intervention to be prescribed to patients with GDM,”

International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO)

GI and Cholesterol

Studies have linked high-fibre, low GI diets can significantly reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels, independent of weight loss.

GI and Weight Maintenance

A Diet, Obesity and Genes study found that a moderately high protein, low GI diet is the best for longer-term weight management.

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GI (Glycaemic Index) of foods

Glycaemic index is a scale from 0 to 100. Low glycaemic index foods have a score less than 55.

BEANS		CRACKERS		PASTA
Baked	44	Graham	74	Cheese Tortellini	50
Black Beans, Boiled	30	Rice Cakes	80	Fettucini	32
Butter , Boiled	33	Rye	68	Linguini	50
Cannellini Beans	31	Soda	72	Macaroni	46
Garbanzo, Boiled	34	Wheat Thins	67	Spagh, 5 Min Boiled	33
Kidney, Boiled	29	Pretzels	83	Spagh, 15 Min Boiled	44
Kidney, Canned	52	Water Crackers (5)	78	Spagh, Prot Enrich	28
Lentils, Green, Brown	30	Saltines (3)	74	Vermicelli	35
Lima, Boiled	32	Corn Chips	71	POTATOES
Navy Beans	38	Popcorn (2 Cups)	55	French Fries/Chips	75
Pinto, Boiled	39	Potato Chips	51	Potato New, Boiled	59
Red Lentils, Boiled	27	Peanuts	10	Potato Red, Bakes	93
Soy, Boiled	16	DRINKS		Potato Sweet	52
BREADS		Apple Juice	40	Potato White, Boiled	63
Bagel, Plain	72	Colas	65	Potato White, Mash	70
Baguette	95	Grapefruit Juice	48	Yam	54
Croissant	67	Orange Juice	46	RICE
Dark Rye	76	Pineapple Juice	46	White Rice	70
Hamburger Bun	61	Gatorade (1 Cup)	78	Wholegrain Rice	50
Apple Muffin	44	Cranberry Juice Cocktail	52	Rice, Instant	91
Cinnamon Muffin	44	Tomato Juice	37	SNACKS
Blueberry Muffin	59	FRUIT		Chocolate Bar	49
Oat & Raisin Muffin	54	Apple	38	Corn Chips	72
Pita	57	Apricots	57	Croissant	67
Pizza, Cheese	60	Apricots Dried	35	Doughnut	76
Pumpernickel	49	Banana	56	Graham Crackers	74
Sourdough	54	Cantaloupe	65	Jelly Beans	80
Rye	64	Cherries	22	Life Savers	70
CEREALS		Dates	103	Oatmeal Cookie	57
All Bran	51	Figs, Dried (3)	61	Pizza, Cheese & Tom	60
Bran Buds	45	Figs, Dried (3)	35	Pizza Hut, Supreme	33
Bran Flakes	74	Grapefruit Juice	25	Popcorn, Light Micro	55
Cheerios	74	Grapes	46	Potato Chips	56
Corn Chex	83	Kiwi	52	Pound Cake	54
Cornflakes	83	Mango	55	Power Bars	58
Cream Of Wheat	66	Orange	43	Pretzels	83
Frosted Flakes	55	Papaya	58	Saltine Crackers	74
Grapenuts	67	Preach	42	Shortbread Cookies	64
Life	66	Pear	58	Snickers Bar	41
Muesli, Natural	54	Pineapple Juice	66	Strawberry Jam	51
Nutri-Grain	66	Plums	39	Vanilla Wafers	77
Oatmeal	48	Prunes	15	Wheat Thins	67
Puffed Wheat	67	Raisins	64	SOUPS/VEGETABLES
Raisin Bran	73	Strawberries	32	Beets, Canned	64
Rice Chex	89	Watermelon	72	Black Bean Soup	64
Shredded Wheat	67	MILK PRODUCTS		Carrots, Fresh Boil	49
Special K	54	Chocolate Milk	35	Corn, Sweet	56
Total	76	Custard	43	Green Pea, Soup	66
CEREAL GRAINS		Ice Cream, Van	60	Green Pea, Frozen	47
Barley	25	Ice Milk, Van	50	Lima Beans, Frozen	32
Basmati White Rice	58	Skim Milk	32	Parsnips	97
Bulgar	48	Soy Milk	31	Peas, Fresh, Boil	48
Couscous	65	Tofu Frozen Dessert	115	Split Pea Soup W/Ham	66
Cornmeal	68	Whole Milk	30	Tomato Soup	38
Millet	71	Yoghurt Fruit	36	SUGARS
		Yoghurt, Plain	14	Fructose	22
				Honey	62
				Maltose	105
				Table Sugar	64

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