Foods With Low GI
Carbohydrate foods can be ranked by their impact on blood glucose levels. This is know as GI or the glycemic index. The higher the GI the more rapidly the food is absorbed and the quicker glucose levels rise.
In contrast, low GI foods break down gradually over time, leading to more stable blood glucose levels. This is important because it can help to avoid the seesaw effect, which can lead to constant hunger, as well as mood and energy fluctuations.
Due to the increased digestion time, low GI foods release their energy more slowly into the bloodstream. This prolongs the feeling of being full, which reduced the need for snacks.
There is some evidence that diets which emphasize low GI foods might help improve the levels of ‘good’ cholesterol. On the other hand, diets emphasizing high GI foods can lead to the pancreas overproducing insulin in response to fluctuating blood sugar levels. Over time, this may lead to diseases such as type II diabetes or it’s precursor, Syndrome X.
Most low GI diets don’t restrict you to only eating low GI foods, but usually prompt you to add more foods with a low glycemic index in your diet. Simply adding a low GI food to a meal, has the effect of lowering the glycemic index for the whole meal. In particular, active people should use of balance of high and low GI foods to make sure they have optimal energy stores for exercise.
High GI foods include pasta, rice and bread. Low GI foods include vegetables, whole grains, fruits and legumes. However, some of these such as bananas would be considered mid-range GI foods.
There are other influences on GI level. For example, the methods used to process and cook food can drastically affect the GI. Usually, the more processed a food is, the higher the GI because less work needs to be done to digest the food.
Having a low GI food does not necessarily equate to ‘healthy’. For example, chocolate is a food with a low GI, but it is also energy rich and supplies few nutrients.
Nevertheless, GI can be a useful tool for selecting between foods that have low levels of saturated fat and are nutrient-rich.