The glycemic index is a tool used to determine which foods raise blood sugar the most after you eat them. Those foods that raise blood sugar the most have the highest glycemic index. Most fruits have low to medium glycemic index scores, making them good options if you are trying to follow a low glycemic index diet.
Fruits Low on the Glycemic Index
Fresh, raw fruit is lower on the glycemic index than processed fruit. Examples of low glycemic index fruits include grapefruit, fresh and canned peaches, pears, apples and unsweetened apple juice, berries, and oranges. Choose these fruits over those with higher glycemic index scores if you are following the low glycemic index diet.
Fruits Higher on the Glycemic Index
Pineapples, mangos, melons and raisins have medium glycemic index scores. Ripe fruits, canned fruits, juices and dried fruits all have higher glycemic index scores than raw, fresh fruits, although in most cases they are still classified as having medium glycemic index scores rather than high glycemic index scores. Dates, however, have a high glycemic index score.
Considerations
Glycemic index scores only tell the effects of these foods when you eat them by themselves. Foods affect blood glucose differently when eaten in combination. How foods are processed or cooked and the variety of fruit, such as whether you eat red or green grapes, also affect glycemic index. You don't want to base your diet solely on the glycemic index since some very nutritious foods have a high glycemic index and other foods that offer little nutritional value have a low glycemic index.
Benefits of Low Glycemic Index Diet
Following a low glycemic index diet may help you to better control diabetes and lower your risk for obesity, cancer, gallbladder disease and heart disease, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. It may also help if you have high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels. Diabetics may still want to count carbs along with following the glycemic index diet, since counting carbs provides more glucose control overall.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Glycemic Index Diet: A Helpful Tool for Diabetes?; Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.; March 2010
- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics: Glycemic Index
- Linus Pauling Institute; Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load; Jane Higdon, Ph.D., et al.; February 2009
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes
