Glycemic Index denotes the measurement of a carbohydrate-rich food depicting its range or its capacity to elevate the quantity of glucose in the body which affects the blood sugar level. It is proved that the lower Glycemic index foods are good for health and controlling sugar level.
The invention of Glycemic index value has enlightened the way to manage and control the diabetes of people who have to live on anti-diabetes and insulin controlling medications. Previously people used to avoid foods rich in carbohydrates which were a good practice but not the complete solution. The GI number better clarifies that how effective a particular carbohydrate-containing food is for affecting blood sugar.
With the GI measuring one can better know that how much a carbohydrate-rich food is going to affect his or her glucose level in blood. This depicts that two different foods with the same carbohydrate level have different GI number. The lesser the GI value less problematic the food would be with respect to its effect on blood sugar level.
What is the Glycemic Index?
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Glycemic index is a value or number which denotes a carbohydrate-containing food carries the power to affect one’s blood sugar or body’s glucose level. Means lower the GI level better the food benefits for the health. Again a food with greater GI level is considered bad for the overall health especially for diabetes.
This can be better understand with below chart which shows that what rate of Glycemic index is consumable by the people who are suffering from chronic health concerns like cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
- Low GI = 55 or lesser than 55 (Good)
- Medium GI = 56 – 69 (Average)
- High GI = 70 or more than that (Bad)
In today’s fast-paced world every second person is suffering from the problem of obesity and diabetes which slowly gives birth to many severe health concerns such as heart issue etc. So it is better to stay fit with some important precaution. If you also don’t want to suffer from high diabetes problem then avoids food with a high GI level.
While buying packaging foods everyone should check the Glycemic index value mentioned in the packaging. If its value is average or more than average rate as mentioned in our GI chart then don’t purchase it. Also one can consult with the nutrition counselor regarding the diet plan in order to relieve the high blood sugar level.
What is carb?
Carb or carbohydrates are a group of molecules. These molecules are primarily found in three forms such as sugar, starches, and fibers. Sugar is the simplest form of carb which includes glucose (sugar which travels through the bloodstream), fructose (fruit sugar) and lactose or milk sugar etc. Starch is the most complex form of carbs as because it consists of long sugar molecules chain.
Some starches are easily digested in the body and it releases a good amount of glucose in the body. These starches include baked potatoes etc. Again some starches are not easily digestible and they don’t increase the blood sugar level at a very high rate. These starches are found in beans and whole grains.
Fiber is another complex form of carb which doesn’t break down very easily in the digestive tract. The slow digestive process makes your stomach feel full for a long time. Hence it suppresses your hunger naturally.
Ways to Determine High vs. Low Glycemic Foods
Any carbohydrate-rich food’s glycemic index value depends on several factors. Depending upon these factors it shows that how much GI of that food is going to affect your blood sugar level. Below we have enlisted some primary factors which will better make it clear that which carbohydrate-rich food have high GI value and which one would have the lower GI value.
Protein and Fat Level
Foods which have high protein and fat value generally tend to lower the glycemic index. So these foods are consumable by people who have high blood sugar or who are in diet plan and want to lower their weight with natural way along with carbohydrate-containing foods. So adding protein and fat-rich foods along with carbohydrates foods lower the GI rate.
This shows that the glycemic index value fluctuates depending upon other external supporting factors just like the combination of protein and fat-containing food with carb foods can reduce the GI rate with a comparison to the sole consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods.
Low Glycemic Index Rate Along with Vinegar & Lemon
The level or rate of glycemic index reduces when it is combined or paired with vinegar and lemon juices. These are some foods when consumed along with the carbohydrate-rich foods this reduces the rate of GI and slower the food break down the process while digestion and results in a low release of glucose in the bloodstream which is beneficial for health.
Food Processing
The food processing affects the glycemic index rate tremendously. The foods which are processed have a very high value of the glycemic index which is no way good for the health, especially for blood sugar level. Food processes just like juicing; mashing, cooking etc. tends to elevate the glycemic index.
Fiber Rich Foods have Low GI
Fiber-rich foods are stubborn in nature and these foods don’t get digested easily in the body as because the breakdown process is very low for such foods which tend to release very low glucose. So foods rich in fiber have a low level of the glycemic index. Fiber is one type of carbohydrate such as Oatmeal, bran, muesli.
Less Processed Foods have Low GI
It is proved that foods which are less processed have a very low rate of the glycemic index with a comparison to foods which are highly processed. Whole grains are one kid of less processed food which GI rate is very low which depicts that it is good for the health.
On the other hand high processed foods such as pasta, white bread etc. have a very high rate of glycemic index. This shows that the value of GI increases while processing. Higher the rate of processing, greater the rate of glycemic index.
High Glycemic Index Foods
High glycemic index of a food denotes that a carbohydrate-containing food gets dissolve or breaks down faster during the digestion process which excretes the glucose in the bloodstream very fast. These foods are needed to be avoided by people with diabetes issue.
Some high glycemic index value foods include corn flakes, high processed foods, more sugary foods, white rice, and white bread, crackers, boiled or baked potatoes, watermelon, pasta, soft drinks, pretzels etc.
Medium Glycemic Index Foods
The medium glycemic index foods are those foods which have neither very high GI rate nor very low GI rate. These are average foods which moderately releases the glucose in the bloodstream after food consumption.
Some important moderate GI foods include bananas, mangoes, potato chips, sweet corn, kiwi fruit, winter squash, whole grain pasta, cheerios, white bread, turkey sandwiches, chicken, burger, pizzas etc.
Low Glycemic Index Foods
A low Glycemic Index food denotes foods which take time to dissolve or break down very slowly during the digestive process hence they secrete glucose in the bloodstream very slowly and gradually. Hence a carbohydrate-containing food with low GI rate is good for the health especially for those who have diabetes issue.
Most of the fruits have very low GI value apart from that these fruits have rich nutritional value, good level of protein, fiber, potassium and antioxidant which are all essential for boosting health and relieving high level of diabetes.
Some low glycemic index foods include beans, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli, legumes, lentils, split peas, peanuts, nuts, cherries, pears, grapefruit, peaches, apple, orange, grapefruits, strawberries, sour cherries, whole grains oatmeal, pasta, and barley.
How Low Glycemic Rate Diet is good for Health
Low glycemic diet denotes foods which have a very low rate of glycemic index. These foods are very healthy for our overall health especially for controlling high insulin or sugar level in the body these diets play a major role.
Whatever we eat it get digested through the digestion process. However, this digestive process depends on several factors, on the basis of that the food will either get digested fast or at a very slow rate.
When you consume low glycemic rate diet its particles don’t get break down easily and hence it releases a low amount of glucose in the body which further slows down the release of insulin level in the body. Hence better diabetes condition as well as it is also beneficial for cardiovascular and body weight as very less amount of fat accumulation is done in the body.
So for better health and managing the diabetes level it is essential to include only low GI diet in every day diet plan otherwise the condition may get worse which can cause severe diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart-related health problems. Below we have enlisted the best health benefits out of the consumption of low glycemic rate diet.
Low Blood Sugar Level
It is very crucial to keep blood sugar at a low level especially for the people who are in the pre-diabetes position or have high diabetes concern. This you can do easily by maintaining precaution by checking your daily food and carbs whether their GI rate is low or not.
If you will consume high GI rate diet whatever medication you will take it is not going to work as because your food will always there to elevate the insulin level in your body resulting in high glucose in the bloodstream. So as a healthy practice eat low glycemic rate diet in order to have low blood sugar level.
Cardiovascular Health Benefits
Your cardiovascular health widely gets affected by the diet that you have every day. Crabs with lower glycemic rate are heart healthy. It helps to check the cholesterol, high blood pressure, triglycerides etc. All these health conditions are correlated with the heart health and if in the initial stage it won’t be checked properly then, in the long run, it causes clotting in blood, breathing issue, chest pain, and even heart attack.
So for maintaining your cardiovascular health eat only crabs with low GI rate in order to live a long and healthy life.
Control Obesity
Obesity is the common symptom of diabetes or it can be said that obesity gives birth to diabetes health concern which can be prevented by losing excess body weight on time. Foods especially high sugary foods and processed foods have very high GI rate which causes a high amount of glucose release in the bloodstream during digestive process resulting in extra glucose in the body get accumulated in the form of fat.
So eat diets with the low glycemic rate for controlling rapidly increasing body weight. A low GI rate food is rich in fiber, protein and very lesser quantity of fat. Consumption of this nutrient dense food will make your stomach feel full and you eat less meal than before. Also by suppressing your frequent hunger, it burns your desire to eat junk food and highly processed food which can tend to increases further body weight.
Increases Metabolism Rate
Just like high blood sugar level very low blood sugar level is also not good for the health as it can cause to reduce your energy level, exhausting, tiredness with little work, mental restlessness etc. The low glycemic rate diet ensures that your blood sugar will not go beyond its normal limit and this helps to boost the metabolism rate of the body.
This is the reason bodybuilders and athletes stay on low GI diet in order to keep their metabolism rate high which is necessary for performing exercise and other days to day work with a double rate of energy. A food with a high GI rate tends to release a high insulin level in the body which increases blood sugar level resulting in the fat generation and decreased metabolism rate. So everyone should eat low glycemic rate diet for getting energetic physical as well as mental health.
For healthy living and controlling the blood sugar level it is essential for everyone to eat lower Glycemic index foods, especially who have a high blood sugar problem. Also don’t rely solely on the GI foods. You have to go through regular blood sugar test in order to confirm your actual blood sugar status.