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.
A close up of dried quinoa.
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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
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