The Glycemic Index Food List is getting more and more popular these days, and this indicates more importance on health being laid by everyday people. It is often that people do not regard the value of different foods that they consume. For those who have a hectic lifestyle and move from one stressful task to another without much of a consideration about what they are eating, the list can be very useful. Without a careful watch over the foods ingested, weight gain, mood swings and fatigue are some common problems that can occur. The Glycemic Index List can assist you in understanding the type of foods that you should consume and the ones that you need to avoid. It can help you to get the most nutritious foods and improve their overall health.
What is the Glycemic Index?
It is a list of foods which have been tested thoroughly according to their effect in increasing the level of blood glucose. The term “Glycemic Index” is basically used to describe the kind of carbohydrates present in foods. It can help you to know about the ability of specific foods to boost the level of glucose in blood.
Glycemic Index Chart is very useful in determining how much sugar levels in blood can be raised by a 50 gm carbohydrate portion. Every food is designated a number which can vary from 1 to 100. For pure glucose, reference score that is assigned is 100 and it is the highest rating.
Foods which are designated as Low have a score lower than 55. Those pointed as moderate are assigned between 56 and 69 in rating and those assigned a score higher than 70 are considered to be high. The more gradual that food is processed by the body, the slower is the release of insulin and the best effect it has on the overall health of the body.
Foods that are ranked in the Glycemic Index have to be avoided if you intend to reduce weight. Those with moderate rating in the index can be consumed more frequently. Foods designated a Low rating in the list are more preferable for daily diet. Those with low rating are digested by the body in a slower manner as compared to foods with high and moderate ratings on the index. These make you feel filled-up for a longer duration and you can pass your days with fewer calories without experiencing hunger. It is noteworthy that incorporating low rated foods will reduce the glycemic index of your entire meal.
Benefits of the Glycemic Index Diet
It should be kept in mind that the Glycemic Index is not actually a diet. Rather, it is a list of the foods that need to be consumed for the best effect on the health and those that have to be avoided.
The list allows you to wisely choose the foods for your daily consumption, as it can guide you about the foods that will have the maximum effect on your blood glucose levels.
The index can be particularly useful for some types of patients, such as diabetics, and also for people with good health. While diabetics can significantly benefit from the knowledge of foods that can impact blood sugar levels and manage their diabetes more efficiently, a simple knowledge of various foods on the metabolism can assist you in influencing the functioning of your body and improve your health with more nutritious foods.
List of Foods in Glycemic Index Diet
On the basis of research carried out by the Stanford Center for Research in Disease Prevention, the Glycemic Index Food List rates foods with scores in the following manner:
Foods Scored LOW (< 55)
- Apricot
- Apple and apple juice
- Barley
- Breakfast cereals (bran, oats and muesli)
- Baked beans, soy beans , dried beans, chick peas, lentils and butter beans
- Nutty bread / whole grain
- Custard
- Cherries
- Grapes
- Grapefruit
- Fruit Loaf
- Oranges
- M&Ms
- Milk, Yogurt
- Peaches
- Pasta
- Peas
- Plums
- Pears
- Peanuts
- Sweet Potato
- Salad Vegetables
- Corn (on cob)
- Unsweetened Pineapple Juice
Foods Scored MEDIUM (Between 55 and 70)
- Bread (brown and white)
- Basmati Rice
- Banana
- Orange juice
- Couscous
- Ice Cream
- Popcorn
- Pizza
- Pita bread
- Potato chips
- Potatoes (new)
- Pineapple, mango, melon
- Yam
- Rye bread
- Raisins
Foods Scored HIGH (> 70)
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Waffles
- Pumpkin
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Honey
- Crisp breads
- Crackers
- Nachos
- Pretzels
- Sports drinks
- French Fries
- Broad beans
- Water melon
Foods that You Should Consume
According to the Glycemic Index List, you should consume the following foods:
- Skinless chicken
- Lean meats, such as lamb, pork and beef with the fat removed
- Fish, both canned and frozen are allowed
- Seafood, such as lobsters, oysters and mussels
- Vegetables, such as soybeans, radishes, tomatoes, olives, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, bean sprouts, onion, asparagus, raw carrots, artichokes, radishes and cabbages
- Fruits, such as cantaloupe, cherries, watermelon, pineapples, pear, papaya, orange, berries, melon, apricots, apples, kiwi, grapefruits and grapes.
- Cereals and breads, such as rice bran, whole grains, oats, multi-grain, rye and wheat
- Starch, such as couscous, brown rice, lentils and whole-wheat pastas
- Beverages, such as tea without sugar, diet colas, coffee without cream and sugar, water and sugar-free drinks.
- Dairy, such as sugar-free or low-fat yogurt, tofu, egg whites, low-fat cottage cheese, fat-free or low-fat cheese and low-fat milk.
It is to be noted that the Glycemic Index Food List is not the be-all and end-all of explaining the nutritional worth of various foods. However, it can be an extremely useful guide in determining the type of foods that you should consume according to the speed at which different foods rich in carbohydrates are absorbed by the system and how it can increase the glucose levels in blood. Glucose has the highest glycemic index rate with a score of 100.
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