What is GI? What has it and What is Best for You?

What is the Glycaemic Index?

The glycaemic index (GI) is a ranking based system that helps us understand how quickly dietary carbohydrates are digested and absorbed by the gut. The GI ranks foods from 0-100 according to how high blood glucose levels rise after consumption. Foods which are HIGH GI are rapidly digested and absorbed. This results in large fluctuations in blood glucose levels. LOW GI foods are digested and absorbed much slower and hence have lesser impact on blood glucose fluctuations.

Do ALL foods have a GI?

The GI measures how carbohydrates in a food affect blood glucose levels. Therefore some foods do not have a GI. These include beef, chicken, tofu, eggs, cheese, nuts, seeds, avocados, many vegetables and some fruit.

Why Eat Low GI?

Studies have shown LOW GI foods help to increase energy levels, control appetite, as well as reduce cholesterol absorption, insulin levels and insulin resistance.

Are ALL LOW GI foods good for you?

The answer is NO. Similarly, not ALL High GI foods are bad for you. Take a look at the following list of foods, there may be a few surprises. Foods that are Low GI may still be low in fibre and high in fat and sugar (eg snickers bar) and High GI foods may be low in fat and sugar and high in fibre! The addition of fat to carbohydrate foods lowers the GI, as the body takes longer to breakdown fat compared to carbohydrates. 

Therefore it is important to use common sense and consider how healthy the food is and make the best decision.

If you need more information about GI and how it can affect your specific general health, please book your appointment with Rachel Haddow today.

More info about: Rachel Haddow Accredited Dietitian and Sports Nutritionist.

Clayfield 3862 4544

Sandgate 3269 1122

Source: http://www.glycemicindex.com/