Durum wheat is most commonly used in making pasta. Most varieties of pasta made from durum wheat have low to medium glycemic index values. Ground durum wheat, also known as semolina, is used in baking and to make puddings. According to the Wheat Foods Council, durum wheat is the strongest of all the wheat varieties and is high in protein.
Durum Wheat Pasta
According to the Wheat Foods Council, milled durum wheat or semolina is mixed with water to make pasta dough. This dough is then worked and shaped into the huge selection of pasta varieties available in the supermarkets. Durum wheat has a yellow endosperm and it is this that gives pasta its unique color.
Glycemic Index Values of Durum Wheat Pasta
According to the Glycemic Index Database, white spaghetti made from durum wheat and boiled for 20 minutes has a GI of 58. This value is reduced to 34 if you boil it for just 12 minutes. As a result you can move your spaghetti from the medium glycemic category to the low one. Thick linguine is also a low glycemic food with its GI of 43 and meat filled ravioli which has a value of 39.
Semolina Products
Other foods made from semolina tend to have GI values in the low or medium categories. Bread made from semolina flour has a GI of 64, upittu which is made from roasted semolina and onions and then cooked in water has a value of 69 and Moroccan couscous, a stew containing semolina, chickpeas and vegetables has a GI value of 58. Steamed semolina has a GI of 55 and semolina which has been steamed and then gelatinized has a GI of 54.
Gluten Content
Durum wheat is a type of wheat and is not suitable for anyone following a wheat or gluten-free diet. The Mayo Clinic advises anyone following this type of diet to avoid all kinds of wheat including farina, graham flour, semolina and durum as well as other grains including barley, rye, bulgur, Kamut, kasha, matzo meal, spelt, triticale, couscous, emmer and einkorn.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index is used to measure how quickly food provides your body with energy. Foods with high GI values -- 70 or above -- release their energy quickly. Low glycemic foods release their energy slowly and have GI values of 55 or less. Foods with GI values between 56 and 69 are placed in the medium category.
