What Is The Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index, or glycaemic index, (GI) provides a measure of how quickly blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular type of food. Dr. David J. Jenkins and colleagues in 1980-1981 at the University of Toronto developed the concept when they researched which foods were best for people with diabetes. The glycemic index estimates how much each gram of available carbohydrate (total carbohydrate minus fiber) in a food raises a person's blood glucose level following consumption of the food, relative to consumption of pure glucose. Glucose has a glycemic index of 100.1
High and Low GI
High GI: Foods with carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release glucose rapidly into the bloodstream. A high-GI food causes a more rapid rise in blood glucose levels and is suitable for energy recovery after exercise or for a person experiencing hypoglycemia.
Low GI: foods with carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream. A low-GI food will release glucose more slowly and steadily, which leads to more suitable postprandial (after meal) blood glucose readings.
Limitations of the Glycemic Index
The glycemic index does not take into account the amount of carbohydrate actually consumed. The glycemic response is different from one person to another, and even in the same person from day to day, depending on blood glucose levels, insulin resistance, and other factors. A related measure, the glycemic load, factors this in by multiplying the glycemic index of the food in question by the carbohydrate content of the actual serving.
Controlling Insulin Levels
Diet is the only effective method for manipulating insulin levels. The dietary model for controlling insulin is termed a low-glycemic index diet. According to Mark Scholz, MD and Ralph Blum There are a number of studies confirming that being overweight and overeating contribute significantly to increased incidence and aggressiveness of prostate cancer. However, it appears that insulin may be the real culprit, an idea that has been poorly understood and has not received the attention it deserves.3
Use The Glycemic Index Chart to Guide Your Daily Eating
The index tells you how fast your body will process foods. The quicker it gets processes the sooner you will get hungry again. Also, if the energy generated is not used, it gets stored in your body as fat. Use the index as a way to balance your daily eating as mentioned above, high GI foods can be suitable for energy recovery after exercise or for a person experiencing hypoglycemia, so it is better to eat a cantaloupe than all-bran cereal after exercise to quickly recover your energy.
Low 55 or less
Beans (white, black, pink, kidney, lentil, soy, almond, peanut, walnut, chickpea)
Seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, poppy, sesame)
Most whole intact Grains (durum/spelt/kamut wheat, millet, oat, rye, brown rice, barley)
apples
carrots
cauliflower
celery
cherries
cucumber
broccoli
eggplant
grapefruit
kiwi fruit
lettuce
mangoes
oranges
peaches
pears
plums
spinach
strawberries
sweet potato
tomatoes
yams
zucchini
Jams
marmalade
muesli
Skim milk
Snickers bar
Spaghetti (white, whole wheat, boiled)
Medium 56-69
basmati
rice
pita bread
pumpernickel bread
whole wheat or enriched wheat
banana
cranberry juice
grape juice
prunes
raisins
angel cake
Macaroni cheese
muffin (unsweetend)
pancakes
regular ice cream
shortbread
table sugar
High 70 or above
breakfast
cereals
corn flakes
parsnip
potato
white bread
white rice
dates (dried)
melons
pineapple
corn chips
instant oatmeal
jelly beans
popcorn
pretzels
saltine crackers
REFERENCES:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycemic_index
2. http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/glycemicfoodchart.htm
3. [http://prostate-cancer.org/can-diet-really-control-prostate-cancer/]