What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index is an indication of how certain foods affect the blood sugar and insulin levels. For example, white bread is high on the Glycemic index (60-75 depending on brand and portion size) because it raises blood sugar levels much faster than steel cut oats (55) and leaves you feeling less full than the oatmeal would.

Carbohydrates with a lower Glycemic Index number take longer to digest, help you feel fuller for longer and don’t raise the sugar levels in your blood so quickly. Think of these carbohydrates as a slow-release energy source as opposed to a carbohydrate that is high in sugar such as cake or a donut that gives you a fast but short-lived energy release.

Carbohydrates are one of the most important sources of energy for our bodies and are mainly found in plants (fruits, vegetables, grains & legumes) or in foods made from plant sources. Carbohydrates basically come in two main forms, Starches (such as potatoes, cereals, bread, and pasta) and sugars such as table sugar (sucrose), milk sugar (lactose), and fruit sugar (fructose).

Digestion processes the carbohydrates into millions of glucose molecules that are released into the bloodstream. This in turn provides the fuel to power our brain, muscles, heart and other major organs.

Some examples;

Low GI Foods (55 or less)