Whether you need help controlling your blood sugar levels or getting the most out of your exercise plan, the glycemic index can be a helpful tool. Foods with carbohydrates have a glycemic index score that indicates their potential impact on your blood sugar levels. To follow a glycemic index diet, look up values on a glycemic index food list.
Glycemic Index Explanation
When you eat foods with carbohydrates, your body digests the carbohydrates and releases them into your bloodstream as glucose, or blood sugar. According to the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center, high-glycemic foods are fast to digest, and they cause your blood sugar levels to increase sharply. In contrast, low-glycemic foods are slower to digest, and they do not cause spikes in your blood sugar. You can base a diet plan on the glycemic index by choosing foods with high or low glycemic index scores, depending on your needs.
High-Glycemic Foods
Many refined carbohydrates and sugary foods are high-glycemic foods; examples include white bread, doughnuts, candy, fruit juice and white bread. White rice, baked potatoes and dried dates are also high-glycemic foods. According to Iowa State University Extension, high-glycemic foods such as juice or fruit can be beneficial if you eat them shortly after you exercise because they can speed up your recovery and help replenish your muscle glycogen, or energy supply. If you have diabetes and suffer from reactive hypoglycemica, or low blood sugar after a meal, the Mayo Clinic states that you can use juice or candy to quickly restore your blood sugar levels.
Low-Glycemic Foods
Low-glycemic foods include legumes, such as beans, peas and lentils, whole-grain or high-fiber grains, many raw fruits and vegetables and reduced-fat dairy products. Examples include bran cereal, barley, oatmeal, raw pears, oranges, fat-free milk, kidney beans and peanuts. Whole-grain carbohydrates tend to have a lower glycemic index score than refined carbohydrates; for example, whole-wheat pasta has a lower glycemic index score than white pasta. Foods with a low glycemic index value tend to give you longer-lasting energy, so they make good choices for pre-workout meals and snacks.
Glycemic Load
Although the glycemic index indicates which carbohydrates are more or less likely to impact your blood sugar levels, the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center states that the glycemic load may be more important for food choices. The glycemic load considers not only the glycemic index, but also the quantity of carbohydrates in a food. A high-glycemic food, such as raw carrots, can have a lower glycemic load than a low-glycemic, high-sugar food, such as a high-fat candy bar.
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