What is considered a high glycemic index and what is low
I know 100 is pure glucose. But what would be high and low for someone with diabetes?
Answer:The Glycemic Index (GI) relates to the way your body鈥檚 sugar levels respond to certain foods. Foods are given a rating from 0 鈥?00 on the glycemic index with glucose in the highest position. High Glycemic Index foods (such as simple carbohydrates) will increase the body鈥檚 sugar levels rapidly whereas low glycemic index foods will increase the body鈥檚 sugar levels slowly. A good understanding of the glycemic index can assist in weight loss and help control diabetes.
80 and below is low
150 and over is high
70-120 is normal
anything above or below is abnormal...40 is VERY low, 500 is VERY high
Please see the web pages for more details on Glycemic index.
Low GI -55 or less- most fruit and vegetables (but not potato), oats, buckwheat, whole barley, All-bran
Medium GI -56 to 69- sucrose, basmati rice
High GI-70 or more - corn flakes, baked potato, jasmine rice, white bread, white rice (Chinese/Vietnamese/Japanese), Mars bar.
Glycemic Index (GI) refers to the speed that digested food is absorbed as sugar (=glucose). Therefore glucose is absorbed very fast for a GI of 100. Higher GI foods tend to have a lot of simple sugars and/or more refined carbohydrates. Lower GI foods are found in the unrefined complex carbohydrates (e.g., whole grains, lower calorie veggies). Diabetics should stay with lower GI foods to help avoid spikes in blood sugar levels and provide a slower and steadier release of glucose after meals.