Articles
Healthy Food Choices Based On Glycaemic Index
Glycaemic index is often in the news as a way of controlling blood sugars for people with diabetes and for assisting in weight loss. Recent literature has said that the low fat, high carbohydrate diets are a mistake and are responsible for the increase in obesity and diabetes. Fast absorbing carbohydrates such as soft drinks, lollies, cakes, biscuits, gluggy rice, and refined flour products can lead to obesity when consumed in amounts greater than energy requirements at that time. Excess is stored as fat. Many people have taken on the fat message. They think if it is low in fat, it can be eaten in any quantity eg big cake type muffins that are 97% fat free!! The quantities of carbohydrate and total kilojoules need to be watched. Carbohydrate that is included should have a low GI.
What is GI
The GI is the effect of different Carbohydrate foods on blood glucose levels when compared with the effect of glucose. Those foods that cause a rapid rise in blood sugars are said to have a high GI. Foods that cause a slower rise in blood sugar have a low GI, eg. Glucose has a GI of 100. Lentils have a GI of 30.
Factors that influence the GI of food are:
- The type of sugar or starch in the food.
- The degree of processing or cooking (mashing or pureeing increases GI)
- The presence of substances in the food that may interfere or slow digestion and absorption such as fat and fibre.
Foods with a low GI eaten regularly as part of a mixed diet give improved control of blood sugars and have great satiety. This means that they help limit the amount of insulin produced and therefore help to control appetite. If more energy is needed, you are more likely to burn fat. Too much insulin leads to increase appetite and over eating.
It is recommended that low GI foods in controlled amounts be included frequently in meals. Choose foods that have a low GI and that are also nutrient rich, low in fat, low in sugar and high in fibre.
How much Carbohydrate?
The total amount of carbohydrate eaten at the meal is still important, regardless of the GI of the carbohydrate foods. For example one potato has the same carbohydrate as ½ cup of cooked pasta, but pasta has a lower GI. If ½ cup of pasta is substituted for one potato at the meal, blood sugar will not rise as rapidly. However if 2 cups of pasta are substituted for one potato the blood sugar will be expected to rise more. If there are excess kilojoules, they will be stored as fat. Eat lower joule vegetables as they are low in kilojoules and high in fibre and will help control blood sugars and weight.
GI chart
Glycaemic index is only a guide to assist in understanding and improving blood sugars and weight control.
I have developed a modified GI chart in line with good nutrition.
Best Choice has a low GI and is healthy choice.
Good Choice has a moderate GI and is healthy choice.
Fair Choice has a higher GI but is still healthy choice.
(The Chart has been adapted from material published by Dr. Jenny Brand).
HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES BASED ON GLYCAEMIC INDEX
Try to eat one from the BEST GROUP every meal or at least 2 times a day
BEST | GOOD | FAIR | |
DAIRY FOODS | Milk - Skimmed Custard (made with skim milk and custard powder). Ice Cream - low fat Yoghurt - low fat/diet |
Whole Milk HiloReduced fat 1% milk Ice-cream |
|
BREAKFAST CEREALS | Kellogg’s All Bran , All Bran- Fruit‘n Oats Guardian, Vogel’s Ultra-bran, Psyllium Rice Bran, Porridge – Traditional, Oat Bran |
Mini Wheats/Shredded wheatMuesli - untoasted Kellogg’s Spec.K, Sustain Porridge Quick or Minute oats, Vitabrits Cream of Wheat |
Kellogg’s Cornflakes Kellogg’s Rice Bubbles Puffed Wheat Nutrigrain |
GRAINS & PASTA | Bulgur, Wheat Noodles - wheat flour regular or instant Pasta - ravioli - meat Spaghetti - all types Barley |
Buckwheat Rice - brown, white, long grain, Basmati, Mahatma wild Taco shells Cous Cous, Cornmeal, Polenta |
Rice - Calrose, Instant, Sunbrown quick Millet, Tapioca Rice pasta |
BREAD | Pumpernickel, Oatbran Mixed grain bread - e.g.Kibblewheat, barley and oats |
Crumpet, Pita bread Wholemeal or rye bread White high fibre bread Fruit loaf |
Gluten Free Bread Bagel or Baguette white White bread Bread Stuffing |
CRACKERS & CRISPBREADS |
Jatz Ryvita Shredded wheatmeal Breton wheat crackers |
Kavli Rice Cakes Puffed Crispbread Sao, Watercracker |
|
SWEET BISCUITS | Shredded Wheatmeal | Morning Coffee, Milk Arrowroot, Granita,Oatmeal Cookies | |
LEGUMES | Beans - Lima, Pinto,Baked, Butter, Soya, Haricot,Kidney Lentils/green, red, Split peas, Chick peas | Broad Beans | |
VEGETABLES | Peas - green Sweetcorn Sweet potato |
Potato - all kinds Yam, Carrot Beetroot, Swede |
Parsnips |
FRUITS | Apple - raw Apricot - dried Cherries, Grapefruit Grapes, Orange Peach - natural juice fresh Pear- canned, natural juice Plum Banana under ripe |
Banana - ripe Kiwi Fruit, MangoPaw Paw, Pineapple Raisins, Sultanas Rockmelon Apricots fresh and canned Vitari |
Watermelon |
BEVERAGES | Apple, Grapefruit, Pineapple Juice | Orange Juice | |
CONVENIENCE & SNACK FOODS |
Fish Fingers Soup - lentil, - tomato |
Popcorn - plain | Peanuts |
SUGARS | Fructose, Lactose | Sucrose, Honey | Glucose, Maltose |
There is also a good article on GI Food on the Sanitarium Web Site.
Added to site on : Saturday, 28 September 2002