Your Body, Your Health

Glycemic Index: what is it?

GI may stand for "Great Idea" in the world of proper diet and nutrition, but actually it stands for glycemic index or glycemic impact. This is a method of ranking carbohydrate foods to tell us if that food will make our blood sugar levels rise very quickly, moderately or very slowly. While most of us would have heard of low carb diet plans, low GI is another way to control carbohydrate intake while still including the carbohydrates in our diet. Low index foods have numbers of 55 or less; 56-69 are intermediate foods, and those above 70 should be limited or, in the case of processed sweet snacks, avoided altogether. The index measures only foods that contain carbohydrates, so meats, eggs, nuts and some vegetables are not included in the data base.

Sugars in low index foods are released slowly into the bloodstream, helping blood glucose levels to rise and fall more slowly. This is important for diabetics, whose pancreas produce little or no insulin, so that sugar builds up in the blood and damages vital organs in due course. Low index foods help stabilize blood sugar level. On the other hand, high index foods release blood sugars rapidly, causing a "sugar rush" in the bloodstream. The insulin works overtime to store the sugar away, resulting in a sudden drop in sugar levels. This creates a craving for sugary foods all over again, or even hunger pangs. (For diabetics, the effects can be much worse over time.) Energy level drops as well.

(Bear in mind that some low-index foods are not necessarily healthier in that they may be high in fat. Work with your doctor or nutritionist to find the best foods for you to eat.)

Whole grain pasta has low glycemic index and it is fat- free, making it perfect for those on such a diet, or for individuals managing diabetes. Hodgson Mill's whole grain pasta products and baking/ cooking mixes are great alternatives to commercialized, processed, high GI foods that can wreak havoc on blood sugar levels.

The focus: concentrate on low-index foods (and mix it up with low-fat foods). The lower the GI, the slower the carbohydrate, the steadier your supply of energy, the more endurance you will experience, and the longer you will feel full. Some low GI foods include: most fruits (apples, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, pears, oranges, strawberries and peaches), whole grain foods (pasta and cereals like oatmeal and bran), vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, peppers and lettuce), pulses (lentils, chickpeas and beans), brown rice, low fat yogurt, milk and custard.