The glycaemic index
![The glycaemic index](https://elearning.preventingdiabetes.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/BG-level.png)
You may have heard of the glycaemic index, but might not have been sure what it was or how it relates to diabetes.
Glycaemic index (GI) is a rating of carbohydrate-containing foods based on the overall effect on blood glucose levels. Slowly absorbed foods have a low GI rating, while foods that are more quickly absorbed have a higher rating. This is important because choosing slowly absorbed carbohydrates, instead of quickly absorbed carbohydrates, can help even out blood glucose levels when you have diabetes.
Foods are given a GI number according to their effect on blood glucose levels. Glucose is used as a standard reference (GI 100) and other foods are measured against this. See some examples of foods with lower GI and higher GI below:
The table below highlights examples of both higher and lower GI alternatives.
Food Item | Lower GI | Higher GI |
---|---|---|
![]() Bread | Grain/granary bread, rye bread, chapatti, corn tortilla | White bread, whole wheat bread/brown bread, french baguette, bagels, pretzels, muffins |
![]() Rice, pasta & potatoes | Basmati rice (both white and brown), pasta, noodles, new potatoes, sweet potato | Long-grain rice, old potatoes |
![]() Vegetables | Asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach | Parsnips, canned or frozen sweetcorn |
![]() Fruit | Apples, apricots, blueberries, cranberries, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, grapefruit | Dried dates, watermelon, pineapple, kiwis, bananas |
![]() Beans & legumes | Black-eyed beans, butter beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils, nuts | Baked beans |
![]() Sugars | Fructose | Glucose, sucrose, honey, syrup |
Fat and protein lower the GI of a food. For example, chocolate has a low GI because of it’s fat content, and crisps will actually have a lower GI than potatoes cooked without fat.
You don’t need to completely cut out higher GI foods – the trick is to combine them with low GI options to achieve an overall moderate GI.
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