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Glycemic index of foods. What is the glycemic index and how does it affect the body? Why is high blood sugar dangerous?
Each product contains a different nutritional value. It would be foolish to believe that the food intake is always the same content of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, which form the overall picture of the energy value of food.
Due to different indicators nutrients the calorie content of the dish also changes. Currently, many who want to lose weight or, conversely, gain kilograms, look at this particular unit, but with proper nutrition It is important to consider another indicator - the glycemic index of products. For the body, it also plays an important role and helps with many diseases, such as diabetes. So, what is the glycemic index and what function does it perform for a person?
What is the glycemic index of foods?
The glycemic index of foods (GI) is unit of the rate at which glucose rises in the body after eating a particular food. To fully understand this definition, we can characterize this process. Carbohydrates are the most important energy value. They can be complex and determined by the number of intermolecular bonds (polysaccharides) and simple (disaccharides, monosaccharides). When complex carbohydrates and other nutrients enter the body, under the influence of enzymes, splitting occurs to simple ones, and simple ones under the influence of chemical reactions to glucose.
The higher the breakdown rate, the more glucose is formed and the blood sugar level rises. This is a high glycemic index food. At a low speed, cleavage products are retained for a long time and absorbed more slowly. This gives a feeling of fullness for quite a long time. and for weight loss, as well as people suffering from diabetes, this low index will be the most optimal.
The concept of the glycemic index was introduced in 1981 at the Canadian University of Toronto by Dr. David Jenkins. For this, special experiments were carried out, during which volunteers were given food products containing carbohydrates in the amount of 50 g. Then, for an hour, every 15 minutes, a blood test was taken and the level of sugar in the blood was determined. Based on the data obtained, special graphs were built, and the experiments continued. When it was possible to obtain all the necessary data, the very concept and definition were introduced. However, this value is a relatively relative unit, the essence of which is to compare products with pure glucose, which has a 100% glycemic index.
When the question arises, what is the difference between the concept of "caloric content" and "glycemic index", the answer is as follows. GI is a display of the rate of breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose and the degree of increase in blood sugar, and caloric content is only the amount of energy received from food intake.
Glycemic index table
In order to have an idea about the rate of carbohydrate breakdown in a particular dish, a special table has been created, where each product has its own glycemic index value. It was created to provide information specifically for each food product, at what rate the body breaks down its carbohydrates into glucose.
These data are important for people who adhere to a proper balanced diet, as well as those suffering from diabetes. According to established data, tables with GI have an approximate value, and the indicators themselves refer to one specific product without any heat or mechanical processing in one piece. There are 3 groups of food glycemic index:
- low (from 0 to 40);
- medium (from 40-70);
- high (from 70 and more).
The table does not include fat-free cheeses and dairy products, broths, and water. This is due, first of all, to the fact that their glycemic index is almost zero.
Low GI
Average GI
high GI
What determines the glycemic index of foods?
Not always the use of products occurs one by one and fresh. When cooking and with other mechanical effects on products, the level of absorption of carbohydrates changes. So, for what reasons does the glycemic index of foods change in the finished dish:
- Adding flavored additives and sugar to food increases the GI.
- total fiber content. Fibers have the ability to slow down digestion and the entry of glucose into the circulatory system.
- Product processing method. Structured foods that require a lot of chewing have a lower GI, for example, raw vegetables in this case better than boiled. Products subjected to mechanical or heat treatment increase the index.
- Fruits and vegetables of greater ripeness increase the GI.
- An important indicator is the method of cooking. Grain bread will have a lower GI value than cooked puffed wheat bread.
- The more food is crushed during cooking, the more the glycemic index increases. For example, the GI of a peach will be lower when consumed whole than when consumed as peach juice.
However, in addition to these factors, the individual characteristics of the human body are also taken into account. The response to the intake of foods with a low or high GI may depend on:
- age;
- ecology where a person lives;
- metabolic states;
- the state of the immune system;
- the presence of infectious or inflammatory diseases in the body;
- from accepted medicines, which can affect the rate of protein breakdown;
- on the amount of physical activity.
With the gradual introduction of low or medium GI foods into your usual diet, you can edit and compose familiar products for better digestibility, based on their personal characteristics of the body.
What is glucose for?
In the body, glucose plays an important role and provides almost half of the energy consumption of the entire body. The functional feature of glucose is its maintenance of normal brain function and functioning nervous system. In addition, it is a source of nutrition for tissues and the muscle layer, and is involved in the formation of glycogen.
Glycemic index and diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which the control of blood sugar levels is impaired. If in a healthy person, when taking foods with a high GI, excess glucose is distributed into body fat, and the sugar level returns to normal, then in a sick person with diabetes, there are certain problems. At the time of eating with a high GI, the normal allowable blood sugar level is exceeded due to a violation of insulin secretion or sensitivity of cell receptors. In another way, you can say this:
- 1 type of diabetes. Insulin is not produced, and if this does not happen, then there is no blockage of the increase in blood sugar, and as a result, hyperglycemia is observed, which is dangerous for the development of hyperglycemic coma.
- Type 2 diabetes. Insulin is produced, but there is no sensitivity of cell receptors. Therefore, at the time of the breakdown of food to glucose, insulin carries it to cells that do not respond to its effects, and since this does not happen, then the sugar remains still in circulatory system developing hyperglycemia.
Patients with diabetes simply need to adhere to a proper balanced diet. The glycemic index of foods is especially important for this population group. After all, it is a kind of guideline, on which it depends on how quickly this or that product will be split and whether there will be a jump in sugar levels. Indeed, for comparison, when a healthy person eats low-GI foods in his body, the sugar level remains within the normal range, and if a diabetic does the same, the sugar in his blood rises slightly. Therefore, when compiling a menu for every day, it is worth calculating the calorie content of each dish, looking at the GI table and not endangering your health.
GI during weight loss
At quick reset weight kilograms are returned at lightning speed back. For more than a decade, it has been said that in order to lose weight, you must adhere to proper nutrition. And if it was obvious to everyone just to calculate the calorie content of a dish, then you can also add the glycemic index of products to this widespread activity. So what is it good for weight loss?
Firstly, this is a kind of systematic folders. What you can eat and what is healthy, and what you should refrain from and, in principle, it is not so necessary. For those who want to lose weight, it is best to pay attention to the table with a low glycemic index of products; you can look at products with average indicators as much as possible. But to use products where the index has a high value is not worth it. Everything must be balanced, and with the help of an index, tracking portions and product characteristics is much more convenient than counting the calorie content of each dish.
Secondly, when eating foods with a high GI, the feeling of fullness can come after eating more than you need. Unused glucose, in this case, will be deposited in the fatty layer. This will not happen from eating low GI foods: glucose levels will rise smoothly, satisfying the energy needs of a person.
Carbohydrates are substances whose molecules consist of carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. As a result of metabolism, they turn into glucose - an important energy source for the body.
Glycemia - the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood
Glucose is the most important "fuel" for the body. It travels through the blood and is deposited in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver.
Blood glucose (same as sugar level) is the percentage of glucose in total blood volume. On an empty stomach, it is 1 g per 1 liter of blood. When carbohydrates (bread, honey, starch, cereals, sweets, etc.) are consumed on an empty stomach, the blood sugar level changes as follows: first, the glucose level rises - the so-called hyperglycemia (to a greater or lesser extent - depending on the type of carbohydrate ); then, after the pancreas secretes insulin, the blood glucose level drops (hypoglycemia) and then returns to its previous level, as shown in the graph on page 36.
For many years, carbohydrates have been divided into two categories, depending on the time they are absorbed by the body: fast sugar and slow sugar.
The term "fast sugar" included simple sugar and double sugars such as glucose and sucrose found in refined sugar (sugar beet and cane), honey and fruits.
The name "fast sugar" is explained by the prevailing opinion that, due to the simplicity of the carbohydrate molecule, the body quickly absorbs it, shortly after eating.
And the category of "slow sugar" included all carbohydrates, the complex molecule of which was believed to be converted into simple sugar (glucose) during the digestion process. An example was starchy foods, from which the release of glucose, as was commonly believed, occurred slowly and gradually.
To date, this classification has completely outlived itself and is considered erroneous.
Recent experiments prove that the complexity of the structure of carbohydrate molecules does not affect the rate of their conversion into glucose, nor the rate of absorption by the body.
It has been established that the peak of blood sugar (hyperglycemia) occurs within half an hour after taking carbohydrates of any type on an empty stomach. Therefore, it is better to talk not about the rate of absorption of carbohydrates, but about their effect on the amount of glucose in the blood, as shown in the graph above:
Nutritionists have come to the conclusion that carbohydrates should be classified according to their so-called hyperglycemic potential, defined by the glycemic index.
Glycemic index
The ability of carbohydrates to cause an increase in blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is determined by the glycemic index. The term was first coined in 1976.
The glycemic index will be the higher, the higher the hyperglycemia caused by the breakdown of carbohydrates. It corresponds to the area of the triangle that forms the curve of hyperglycemia resulting from the intake of sugar on the graph. If glucose is taken as 100, then the index of other carbohydrates can be determined by the following formula:
Area of the triangle of determined carbohydrate
Area of the triangle of glucose
That is, the stronger the hyperglycemia of the analyte, the greater the glycemic index.
It should be noted that chemical processing of foods can lead to an increase in the glycemic index. So, for example, corn flakes have a glycemic index of 85, and the corn from which they are made is 70. Instant mashed potatoes have a glycemic index of 90, and boiled potatoes have a glycemic index of 70.
We also know that the quality and quantity of indigestible fiber in a carbohydrate depends on the value of the glycemic index. So, soft white buns have a glycemic index of 95, white loaves - 70, wholemeal bread - 50, wholemeal bread - 35, peeled rice 70, unpeeled 50.
Table of glycemic indexes
|
High glycemic carbohydrates ("bad carbs") |
Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index ("good carbohydrates") |
| Malt 110 | Wholemeal bread with bran 50 |
| Glucose 100 | Brown rice 50 |
| Baked potato 95 | Peas 50 |
| White bread made from premium flour 95 | Unprocessed cereals without sugar 50 |
| Instant mashed potatoes 90 | Oatmeal 40 |
| Honey 90 | Fruit juice fresh without sugar 40 |
| Carrot 85 | Gray wholemeal bread 40 |
| Corn flakes, popcorn 85 | Wholemeal pasta 40 |
| Sugar 75 | Colored beans 40 |
| White bread 70 | Dry peas 35 |
| Processed cereals with sugar (muesli) 70 | Wholemeal bread 35 |
| Chocolate (in bars) 70 | Dairy products 35 |
| Boiled potatoes 70 | Dry beans 30 |
| Cookies 70 | Lentil 30 |
| Corn 70 | Turkish peas 30 |
| Rice hulled 70 | Rye bread 30 |
| Gray bread 65 | Fresh fruits 30 |
| Beetroot 65 | Canned fruits without sugar 25 |
| Bananas, melon 60 | Chocolate black (60% cocoa) 22 |
| Jam 55 | Fructose 20 |
| Pasta made from premium flour 55 | Soy 15 |
| Green vegetables, tomatoes, lemons, mushrooms - less than 15 |
As you can see from the table above, there are "good carbs" (low glycemic index) and "bad" (high glycemic index) carbohydrates, which are often, as you will see later, the cause of your overweight.
"Bad" carbs high glycemic index
This includes all carbohydrates that cause a sharp increase in blood glucose, which leads to hyperglycemia. Basically, these carbohydrates have more than 50.
This is primarily white sugar in its pure form or in combination with other products, such as cakes, sweets. This also includes all industrially processed products, especially white flour bread, white rice; drinks, especially spirits; potatoes and corn.
"Good" carbs with a low glycemic index
Unlike "bad" carbohydrates, "good" carbohydrates are only partially absorbed by the body and therefore do not cause a significant increase in blood sugar. "Good" carbohydrates have a glycemic index below 50.
This is primarily coarse grains and some starchy foods - beans and lentils, as well as most fruits and vegetables (lettuce, turnips, green beans, leeks, etc.), which, in addition, contain a lot of fiber and little glucose.
Modern society carries the following ideas as a banner: how to make more money, how to become healthier, and how to lose weight. excess weight. Unfortunately, we will not answer you on the first point, but we will consider the last two, based on such concepts as the glycemic index and calorie content of foods (the table will be provided below).
We will also consider the main ideology of the adherents of this system, consider all the pros and cons.
Brief educational program
The glycemic index (GI) is an additional characteristic of all those substances that contain carbohydrates and can be digested. human body. The harsh reality tells us that calorie content is not the final indicator that you should focus on. Moreover, the calorie content of products does not grow either in direct or inverse proportion. At the same time, GI is able to have an almost more active influence on the process of weight loss than nutritional value.
Rationale
By and large, this index is a symbol that characterizes the rate of breakdown of products containing carbohydrates, when compared with the rate of breakdown of pure glucose, the index of which is considered a kind of standard and equals 100 units. The higher the index, the higher the rate of degradation of the product. In the process of weight loss, do not neglect such an indicator as the glycemic index of products. A weight loss table based only on calorie content will not give high-quality and long-term result excluding GI.
Dietetics prefers to divide all products containing carbohydrates into three groups - low, medium and high glycemic index. To take it to the extreme, all high GI foods contain an abundance of fast, empty carbohydrates, while low GI foods delight us with slow, complex carbohydrates. More details (table or graph) can be studied in the relevant medical literature.
Give your brain some sugar!
As mentioned earlier, the desire to lead healthy lifestyle life guides many minds. Some, in a fit of hysteria, utterly limit carbohydrates, preferring pure, unclouded protein foods with glucose. In this mode, you can live a day or two, after which the “sleepy fly” mode becomes active - a person feels constant fatigue and does not understand what is happening to him, because he eats so healthy and right! However, the correctness in such a diet does not smell. Let's open little secret, who set everyone on edge with his obviousness: there must be a balance in everything.
Lack of carbohydrates leads to starvation of the muscles and brain, a person becomes weak and dull. Great picture, isn't it? Naturally, you don’t have to give up anything, you just need to learn how to do it. right choice among the abundance of products containing carbohydrates. The glycemic index and calorie content of foods (table below) will help you with this.
Good carb, bad carb
Carbohydrates are different from each other, but during digestion, all are converted into glucose, which serves as fuel for the body, providing it with the energy it needs. Supervises the processing of insulin, which is produced in the pancreas. As soon as you eat, insulin starts working. Thus, the processing of carbohydrates is completed first.
The result of carbohydrates is one - glucose, but the speed of "circulation" varies.
Faster, even faster!
These speedy sprint carbohydrates are absorbed almost instantly, stimulating an increase in blood sugar levels. And so the energy went to waste, sugar fell just as sharply, as a result of which you felt a brutal hunger, although you ate quite recently. The body tactfully hinted that it was ready to refuel one more time. If you do not spend all this abyss of energy immediately (hello office workers!), Then it immediately settles on your sides in the form of fat.
The study of such an indicator as the glycemic index (a table or just a list) allows you to avoid this. In order to maintain vital activity, it is enough for a person to consume as many calories as he spends - this is in theory. In practice, chewing only sugar for 1500-2000 kcal is very harmful, as the pancreas suffers. Indeed, you have to produce a wild amount of insulin in a short period of time. This mode causes cells to wear out faster, which can develop into serious diseases. Using a combination of "glycemic index and caloric content" (a table or just a list) when forming a diet, you will achieve excellent results in maintaining your health.
The quieter you go, the further you'll get
Slow carbohydrates behave exactly the opposite. In order to digest them correctly, insulin is produced gradually, that is, it functions in a mode that is comfortable for her.
The level of sugar in the blood does not jump, but remains at the proper level, allowing the body to feel full for a long time. Therefore, for example, they are recommended with proper nutrition despite all their calorie content. This is one example of how the glycemic index of foods + a weight loss table that takes into account calories can contradict each other.
Basic food table
And here is the table of products, which was mentioned more than once in this article.
| № | Product | Glycemic index | Calories per 100 grams |
| 1 | Sunflower seeds | 8 | |
| 2 | Garlic | 10 | 46 |
| 3 | lettuce | 10 | 17 |
| 4 | leaf lettuce | 10 | 19 |
| 5 | Tomatoes | 10 | 18 |
| 6 | Onion | 10 | 48 |
| 7 | White cabbage | 10 | 25 |
| 8 | Mushrooms fresh | 10 | 28 |
| 9 | Broccoli | 10 | 27 |
| 10 | Kefir | 15 | 51 |
| 11 | Peanut | 15 | 621 |
| 12 | Nuts (mix) | 15-25 | 720 |
| 13 | Soya | 16 | 447 |
| 14 | Fresh red beans | 19 | 93 |
| 15 | Rice bran | 19 | 316 |
| 16 | Cranberry, lingonberry | 20 | 26 |
| 17 | Fructose | 20 | 398 |
| 18 | Cherry | 22 | 49 |
| 19 | bitter chocolate | 25 | 550 |
| 20 | Berries | 25-30 | 50 |
| 21 | boiled lentils | 27 | 111 |
| 22 | Milk (whole) | 28 | 60 |
| 23 | Dry beans | 30 | 397 |
| 24 | Milk (skimmed) | 32 | 31 |
| 25 | plums | 33 | 43 |
| 26 | Low fat fruit yogurt | 33 | 60 |
| 27 | Pears | 35 | 50 |
| 28 | Apples | 35-40 | 44 |
| 29 | Wholemeal bread | 35 | 220 |
| 30 | barley bread | 38 | 250 |
| 31 | Dates | 40 | 290 |
| 32 | Hercules | 40 | 330 |
| 33 | Buckwheat porridge | 40 | 350 |
| 34 | strawberries | 40 | 45 |
| 35 | fruit juice | 40-45 | 45 |
| 36 | Durum wheat pasta | 42 | 380 |
| 37 | Citrus | 42 | 48 |
| № | Product | Glycemic index | Calories per 100 grams |
| 1 | Canned peas | 43 | 55 |
| 2 | Melon | 43 | 59 |
| 3 | apricots | 44 | 40 |
| 4 | Peaches | 44 | 42 |
| 5 | Kvass | 45 | 21 |
| 6 | Grape | 46 | 64 |
| 7 | red rice | 47 | 125 |
| 8 | bran bread | 47 | 210 |
| 9 | green fresh peas | 47 | |
| 10 | grapefruit juice | 49 | 45 |
| 11 | Barley flakes | 50 | 330 |
| 12 | Kiwi | 50 | 49 |
| 13 | Wholemeal bread + bran | 50 | 250 |
| 14 | canned beans | 52 | 116 |
| 15 | Popcorn | 55 | 480 |
| 16 | brown rice | 55 | 350 |
| 17 | oatmeal cookies | 55 | 440 |
| 18 | Oat bran | 55 | 92 |
| 19 | Buckwheat grain | 55 | 320 |
| 20 | Boiled potatoes | 56 | 75 |
| 21 | Mango | 56 | 67 |
| 22 | Bananas | 57 | 91 |
| 23 | Rye bread | 63 | 250 |
| 24 | boiled beets | 65 | 54 |
| 25 | Semolina porridge with milk | 66 | 125 |
| 26 | Raisins "Jumbo" | 67 | 328 |
| 27 | Dried fruit mix | 67 | 350 |
| 28 | soda | 67 | 50 |
| 29 | White bread | 70 | 280 |
| 30 | Rice white | 70 | 330 |
| 31 | boiled corn | 70 | 123 |
| 32 | Mashed potatoes | 70 | 95 |
This visual list of products will allow you to make your diet as accurately as possible from all points of view, since the table covers the glycemic index and the calorie content of foods at the same time. You just need to choose those foods that have an acceptable GI, and make a diet of them "weight" with your daily calorie content.
Glycemic index of foods for diabetes
It turns out that the concept of "glycemic index of products" did not just appear (table). Diabetes requires a special diet that keeps blood sugar at the proper level. The principle of selecting foods according to the GI first saw the light of day 15 years ago in the process of developing a nutrition system that is favorable for people with diabetes. It was by combining the glycemic index and the calorie content of foods that experts deduced the formula for proper, sparing nutrition for diabetics.
Based on the information above, which describes the effects on the body of fast and slow carbohydrates, we can conclude that sick people are strongly recommended to make their diet from the products of the first table. This measure will allow you to keep your blood sugar at the right level, bypassing unwanted jumps and fluctuations. It is also recommended to keep information on the topic "glycemic index and caloric content of foods" on hand. A table of this kind will allow, if necessary, to quickly navigate what you need to eat for the best result.
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Hundreds of experiments were carried out, during which the fact became obvious - it is not right to focus only on carbohydrates when building a diabetic diet.
It also became clear that it was impossible to derive a formula for calculating the glycemic index. Each indicator was calculated in laboratory conditions.
How the glycemic index is calculated - the process
Find 10 healthy volunteers. They consume 50 grams of glucose powder. Then for 2-3 hours every 15 minutes they take a blood test for sugar. After a recovery period, the experiment is repeated, but instead of glucose powder, the volunteers use the test product. The serving of the product is selected at the rate of 50 grams of carbohydrates per serving.
With the help of the conducted research, the GI tables used by us were created. To get the index of not a product, but a whole dish, it is also necessary to conduct similar experiments. It is clear that no one will check all recipes.
Some manufacturers of goods order the index determination service from specialized laboratories and universities. For example, the University of Sydney offers a service called SUGiRS (Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service). Most often, the GI is indicated on the packaging of products sold in Australia and the United States.
Incorrect glycemic indexes for dishes
It is easy with packaged goods - once calculated index can be indicated on all products of this line. But what to do when it comes to a dish prepared in a restaurant or at home? There is only one answer - it is impossible to calculate the GI of such a dish. You will not be able to independently select volunteers who are selected according to a special method. You will not spend many hours of research and build graphs. Moreover, there are no two identical dishes, even if you cook them exactly according to the recipe and grams.
I would like to say a few words about sites, services and forums where you are promised not only the calculated GI of dishes, but even the ability to calculate the dose of insulin by the glycemic index.
I will not name their addresses. Anyone who was there will understand. Here is one of the answers to the question - where do you get the glycemic indices of ready meals. And it is this forum that invites people to count the doses of insulin according to the GI.
Be careful with such services. Remember, that:
- The glycemic index is calculated in laboratories. Both for products separately, and for the whole dishes. There is no other way to get a GI.
- The index varies depending on the variety, type and ripeness of the product.
- The index changes during the day individually for each person. Diseases and glycemic status also affect GI. The difference from the table values can be up to 20%.
- The index exists to adjust nutrition with accuracy - a large or small index, and not with the accuracy of numbers. For example, by trying to eat low GI foods, you can better control your diabetes. But you don't need to focus on this indicator. It is only a compass, not a map.
- The glycemic index changes if the product is consumed with protein products.
A clear example of the inaccuracy of the GI. Table from the site of the University of Sydney. Pay attention to the GI of bananas. 6 studies and 5 different results. The difference between the extreme values (46 and 62) is 8 years. It is clear that bananas could not evolve in 8 years. However, the fruit has moved from the middle zone of the glycemic index to the forbidden zone of high indices.
The glycemic index (GI) is the rate at which carbohydrates in foods are digested and raise blood sugar levels. A low GI is considered equal to or less than 35. In total, the glycemic index scale consists of one hundred units. The theory was created in the 1980s for diabetics, but it is widely used in the diet for weight loss and in proper nutrition.
Low GI foods are vegetables, grains, and other variations of complex carbohydrates. They slowly give their energy to the body and are mainly stored in the muscles in the form. In contrast, high GI foods are converted to free fatty acids. Their excessive consumption is associated with both a set of subcutaneous fat and harm to health.
Note that the glycemic index is gradually being replaced by the concepts of insulin index. GN takes into account both the rate of rise in blood glucose levels and the amount of carbohydrates in a serving of food. In turn, he notes that meat also provokes the production of glucose. AI also says that a number of products (for example, yogurt) cause increased output insulin.
The Benefits of Low GI Foods
Scientific studies show that regular consumption of foods with a high glycemic index disrupts metabolism¹. Fast carbohydrates negatively affect the production of insulin, provoking a chronic feeling of hunger and activating the deposition of fat in problem areas. Regular and uncontrolled use of such products leads to the development of diabetes.
In contrast, low GI foods are high in content - not only does it normalize insulin production², it helps lower bad cholesterol³ and has a number of other health benefits.
Benefits of fiber foods:
- Provide long lasting satiety
- Normalize insulin production
- Reduce bad cholesterol levels
- Helps with bowel mechanics
- Possess function
The glycemic index of a particular food is a comparison of the rate at which blood glucose rises after eating a serving of that food containing approximately 50 grams of carbohydrates with 50 grams of pure glucose. It is important to understand that the GI does not take into account the "density" of carbohydrates in the product, nor the serving size, nor the combination with other nutrients - for example, the presence of lactose accelerates the absorption of sugar.
The high GI of a product means that when it is eaten and further digested, the blood sugar level will rise as quickly as possible. This, in turn, will lead to the production of insulin, with the help of which the carbohydrates eaten will be processed by the body. First, they will go to the need (or will be stored in muscle glycogen), and in excess - in fat reserves.
The glycemic index of foods is divided into three categories:
- Low glycemic index - less than 55
- Average glycemic index - 56–69
- High glycemic index - over 70
Brief table of glycemic indexes
| high GI | Average GI | Low GI |
| White bread | brown bread | Sweet potato |
| sweet pastries | Wheat flour | Undercooked pasta |
| White rice | Brown rice | Buckwheat |
| Honey | Marmalade | Mango |
| Muesli | Oatmeal | Lentils |
| Sweet soda | Orange juice | Apple juice |
| Crisps | Pasta | Cottage cheese |
| Carrot | Grape | Citrus |
| A pineapple | Banana | Dried fruits |
| Manka | Oatmeal | Quinoa, buckwheat |
Full GI tables
glycemic index of food
Same calorie content, slightly undercooked buckwheat with a portion and a dressing of olive oil will have a low GI. Whereas boiled buckwheat in milk with sugar and butter is high. Also, the glycemic index is affected by the salt content, the presence of lactose in the composition, and even the temperature during consumption (cold food is absorbed a little worse than hot).
What lowers GI:
- the presence of fiber, proteins and fats
- no heat treatment
- hyperacidity (such as grape vinegar)
What raises GI:
- content of fast carbohydrates
- excessive cooking of the product
- adding salt
Foods with a high glycemic index are foods that contain an extremely high absorption rate. They give their calories as quickly as possible into the blood in the form of glucose, literally overflowing the body with excess energy. In the event that this energy and glucose is not currently needed in the muscles, it is sent to fat stores.
Strictly speaking, it is not the high GI foods themselves that are harmful, but its excessive use at the wrong time is harmful. For example, immediately after physical training fast-digesting carbohydrates will benefit the athlete's body, as their energy will provide a direct incentive for muscle growth and recovery. Gainers with maltodextrin and isotonics work on this principle.
Benefits of high glycemic foods:
- Quickly replenish glycogen stores
- Easily digested and absorbed
- Have a sweet taste
The dangers of high GI foods
The combination of regular consumption of high GI foods and a sedentary lifestyle is one of the key problems that cause many diseases. It's about how about diabetes and an increase in bad cholesterol levels. At the same time, the most harmful type of fast carbohydrates is - the body cannot use the excess of its calories otherwise than to store it in fat.
| Product | GI |
| 100-105 | |
| White bread | 100 |
| Sweet buns | 95 |
| pancakes | 95 |
| Potato (baked) | 95 |
| rice noodles | 95 |
| canned apricots | 95 |
| Instant Rice | 90 |
| Honey | 90 |
| Instant porridge | 85 |
| Carrots (boiled or stewed) | 85 |
| Cornflakes | 85 |
| Mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes | 85 |
| (Powerade, Gatorade) | 80 |
| Muesli with nuts and raisins | 80 |
| Sweet pastries (waffles, donuts) | 75 |
| Pumpkin | 75 |
| Watermelon | 75 |
| Melon | 75 |
| Rice porridge with milk | 75 |
| 70 | |
| Carrots (raw) | 70 |
| Chocolate bar (Mars, Snickers) | 70 |
| Milk chocolate | 70 |
| Sweet carbonated drinks (Pepsi, Coca-Cola) | 70 |
| A pineapple | 70 |
| Dumplings | 70 |
| Soft wheat noodles | 70 |
| White rice | 70 |
| Potato chips | 70 |
| Sugar (white or brown) | 70 |
| Couscous | 70 |
| Manka | 70 |
Products with an average glycemic index - from high-protein buckwheat to muesli with sugar - are an example of the fact that it is impossible to divide food into healthy and harmful, based solely on such a parameter as the rate of absorption of carbohydrates. Ultimately, both the time of eating this food (in the first half for or just before bedtime) and the total amount are important.
If regular and excessive consumption of carbohydrate foods with an average GI negatively affects the overall blood sugar level and disrupts metabolic processes in the body (including the mechanism for producing the hunger hormone leptin), then moderate consumption of such products (for example, oatmeal) can have a positive effect on the body.
| Product | GI |
| Wheat flour | 65 |
| Orange juice (packaged) | 65 |
| Preserves and jams | 65 |
| Black yeast bread | 65 |
| Marmalade | 65 |
| Muesli with sugar | 65 |
| Raisin | 65 |
| Rye bread | 65 |
| Jacket boiled potatoes | 65 |
| Whole wheat bread | 65 |
| Canned vegetables | 65 |
| Pasta with cheese | 65 |
| Pizza on thin dough with tomatoes and cheese | 60 |
| Banana | 60 |
| Ice cream | 60 |
| long grain rice | 60 |
| Industrial mayonnaise | 60 |
| Oatmeal | 60 |
| Buckwheat (brown, roasted) | 60 |
| Grapes and grape juice | 55 |
| Ketchup | 55 |
| Spaghetti | 55 |
| canned peaches | 55 |
| Shortbread | 55 |
Low GI foods are primarily natural foods that contain a lot of vegetable fiber. In fact, foods containing most cereals (buckwheat, quinoa, bulgur), seeds, nuts, and green vegetables have a low glycemic index. Fruits, although they have a low GI, still increase the level of insulin in the blood, which is dangerous for diabetics.
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The glycemic index shows how fully the carbohydrates contained in a food are absorbed in the body and increase blood sugar levels. The scale consists of 100 units, where 0 is the minimum (products that do not contain carbohydrates), 100 is the maximum. Foods with a high glycemic index quickly give up their energy to the body, while foods with a low glycemic index contain fiber and are absorbed slowly.
