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 What is the Glycemic Index and how will it help me?
The glycemic index is a new concept in nutrition that ranks foods on how they affect our blood glucose levels. This index measures how much your blood glucose increases in the two or three hours after eating.
When you make use of the glycemic index to prepare healthy meals, it helps to keep your blood glucose levels under control. This is especially important for people with diabetes, athletes, and people who are overweight.
Foods with high GI numbers (more than 70) make blood sugar as well as insulin levels increase fast. Eating a lot of high GI foods pushes your body to extremes, and this can be dangerous especially if you are overweight and inactive.
Mounting research suggests keeping blood sugar from spiking pays off in many ways. Low GI foods (numbers below 55) appear to: - Reduce heart disease
- Prevent type 2 diabetes
- Help you avoid serious side effects if you have diabetes
- Curb you appetite so you lose weight
- Help you feel more energetic
Remember: Choose carbohydrate foods that are mainly non-refined and rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals (low GI). These include foods like wholegrain rice, pasta, bread (wholegrain and sour dough), breakfast cereals, fruit, vegetables and legumes.
Source: National Heart Foundation of Australia http://www.heartfoundation.com.au/downloads/PP-585_Exec_Summ_Nutr_PS-CHO_06_Feb_Final.pdf
The University of Sydney
http://www.glycemicindex.com/
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