People who pride themselves on their good health probably have no idea what glycemic index is, but those of you who suffer from diabetes or another more serious disease related to impaired metabolism are familiar with this concept very well.
The reason for this lies in the fact that they have to switch to a diet that avoids high glycemic index products.
Until very recently, it was considered important for people suffering from diabetes, in addition to monitoring their blood sugar level, to calculate the number of bread units they intake daily. However, recent medical studies have made it clear that this is not enough, because some foods contain the same amount of carbohydrates but raise blood sugar levels to different degrees.
It is here that the term glycemic index appears, which is denoted as GI and, generally speaking, indicates the different speed of the increase in blood sugar levels in different products.
People suffering from diabetes should consume foods with a glycemic index of less than 60 in their daily life, with the only exception being if they are going to do heavy physical work or are taking analogue human insulin. Here are the foods you should avoid if you are diabetic and the exact glycemic index of the products:
Boiled food and pasta
- 50 g of boiled beans have 29 GI
- 50 g of buckwheat has 49 GI
- 130 g of peas have 47 GI
- 50 g of spaghetti has 38 GI
- 50 g of lentils have 30 GI
Bread, cereals and potatoes
- 1 slice whole wheat bread has 49 GI
- 50 g of boiled long grain rice has 44 GI
Milk, dairy products and products with sugar
- 240 g of 2% yogurt has 14 GI
- 250 g of milk of 3.6% has 30 GI
- 30 g dark chocolate has 43 GI
- 12 g of fructose has 25 GI
Fruit
- 1 small apple has 38 GI
- 1 medium peach has 42 GI
- 1 small pear has 38 GI
- 100 g of cherries have 22 GI
- 80 g of prunes have 39 GI
- 150 g of grapefruit has 25 GI
Vegetables
If you consume less than 300 g of vegetables per meal, you don't need to monitor their glycemic index and the recommended are tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, carrots, beetroot, peppers, zucchini, etc.
