Glucose is the sugar that is metabolized quickly by the body. Found in all carbohydrates, this sugar is measured by how rapidly the body burns it up in the form of the glycemic index. Dieters may notice that some foods leave them hungry whereas others produce a feeling of satiety for hours. This is due to the gylcemic impact that food has on the system. High glucose foods will spike the blood sugar and burn away quickly, whereas low glucose foods take longer for the body to use and do not impact the blood sugar.
Breads, Grains and Pasta
Bread, grains and pasta are all carbohydrates, but the body does not use them in the same way. For instance, a slice of baguette has a glycemic index of 95, but multigrain toast is a low 48. Foods classified over 70 are high glucose foods, the ones that impact the blood sugar the most. Those foods under 40 are considered low glycemic index foods and will leave a feeling of fullness. Choose all bran cereals over cornflakes; all bran has a GI of 42 and cornflakes run around 83. Some may select a serving of spaghetti at 27 over brown rice at 92, but remember the toppings will add to that GI; a tomato sauce with sugar can top a 65 GI alone.
Fruits, Roots and Vegetables
Watermelon is one of those delicious, low-cal fruits, but it has a moderate GI at 72. Vitamin C rich fruits like cherries and grapefruit contain a low index at 22 and 25, respectively. Baked potatoes top the GI for vegetables; a baked potato ranks 85 on the GI whereas green beans, cauliflower and lettuce have a low GI at 15. Root eaters will be pleased to hear that carrots, although plentiful in beta-carotene, are low in GI at 39. Parsnips, however, are almost equal to the baseline measurement of glucose at 97. A healthy diet will incorporate a combination of myriad fruits, roots and vegetables, just beware of the impact they have on the blood sugars and avoid those afternoon trips to the vending machine in response to blood sugar fluctuations.
No Glucose Impact
Some foods contain little to no carbohydrates at all. These foods are not ranked on the glycemic index as their blood sugar impact is negligible. Most animal products including meats, fish and eggs have no glycemic indexing. Similarly alcohols, such as wine and liquor, do not impact the glucose levels in the blood. However, these spirits and meats do contain calories. Low glycemic index simply refers to the effect of the food on the blood, it does not ensure a healthy food.
