Everybody knows that foods vary in how many calories they contain and impart to you upon digestion. Less well known is the fact that foods vary in how rapidly they release their carbohydrates during the digestion process. The glycemic index, or GI, ranks foods on how quickly their carbs convert into glucose. The glycemic index rates foods from 0 to 100, assigning higher values to foods that cause the fastest rise in blood glucose. Foods with higher GI ratings are more likely to be converted into fat or to cause a momentary sugar rush followed by a crash after insulin has depleted the blood glucose. Glycemic index ratings of 55 or below are considered low, reports the website LowGlycemicDiet.com.
Vegetables
Most vegetables have low GI ratings. The complex carbohydrates in vegetables slow digestion, and stabilize blood sugar. Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, salad greens, mushrooms, onions and peppers all have GI ratings of 10, according to LowGlycemicDiet.com. Other vegetables with GIs below 56 include asparagus, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, celery, corn, green beans and sweet potatoes.
Fruit
Like vegetables, most fruits tend to have low glycemic index ratings. Though they are sweet, the complex carbohydrates in fruit slow digestion and prolong the release of the sugars. Fruit with GIs lower than 55 include apricots, apples, bananas, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi, mango, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, prunes and strawberries.
Legumes
The protein in legumes, such as nuts, peas and beans, slows digestion and prolongs the release of carbohydrates. Peanuts have the very low glycemic index rating of 14 and soya beans also rank very low at 18. Most beans and peas rank low on the glycemic index, including black-eyed peas, butter beans, chickpeas, green beans, haricot beans, lentils, lima beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, snap peas and split peas.
Packed with protein, nuts such as peanuts, almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts have a low GI value, plus they are rich in monounsaturated fat, which may decrease the risk of heart disease. However, they are calorie-dense, so eat them in small quantities to minimize the accumulation of too many of those slow-release carbs.
Grains and Pasta
Grains and pasta vary in their glycemic index ratings. Whole-grain products tend to have a lower glycemic rating than processed products. For example, white bread has a high GI rating of 70 compared to the low GI rating of 30 to 45 for heavy mixed grain bread and 41 for pumpernickel bread, as reported at Healthy Weight Forum. Likewise, whole-wheat spaghetti has a GI of 37 compared to brown rice, fettuccine, linguine, oat bran, macaroni and spaghetti all have low glycemic index. Food preparation can influence the GI value of food. For example, overcooking pasta makes the carbohydrates more easily digested and increases the glycemic index value.
Dairy and Meat
Non-fat, low-fat and whole-fat milk and yogurt have low GI ratings, due to the prolonged digestion time required by the protein. Shellfish and white fish such as flounder, cod, trout and tuna in water, as well as skinless chicken, turkey and venison have low glycemic index ratings.
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