
A close up of dried quinoa.
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The glycemic index indicates how a food will affect your blood sugar levels after you eat it. Grains that have a low glycemic index are unlikely to cause spikes in blood sugar levels, so they are often better choices than those with a high GI. Whole grains have more fiber than refined grains, which often means they also have lower GI scores.
Whole Grains Keep Blood Sugar Stable
Some of the grains with lower GI scores include barley, with an average score of 28, bulgur, with a score of 48, quinoa, with a score of 53 and whole-wheat grains, with a score ranging from 30 to 54, depending on the type and preparation method. Longer cooking times and refining increase the GI. Products made with these types of grains will have a higher GI than whole, unprocessed grains.
references
- Harvard Medical School: Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load for 100+ Foods
- Clinical Diabetes: The 3 R's of Glycemic Index: Recommendations, Research, and the Real World
- Diabetes Care: International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values: 2008
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes