Have you wondered why you get hungry and restless so soon after having a bagel in the morning while a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal keeps your cravings away till lunchtime? It is related to your glycemic index.
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Glycemic index is important, and there’s also so much information about foods that are better for our health GI-wise. Now let’s discuss foods like bagels and oatmeal and how they affect your glycemic index.
The Problem With High GI Foods
Foods like bagels are made of refined white flour or all-purpose flour. All-purpose flour can be wheat flour processed after removing the bran (the hard outer layer that our digestive enzymes can’t break down) and the germ (the healthiest part that sprouts into a new plant). The endosperm is left, containing some proteins and the major share of carbs in the grain.
Wheat flour is not a nutritional answer for those who need carb control, such as diabetes. What’s also wrong with white flour is that it is low in fiber, and refined flours aren’t good for anyone in the long run.
White flour has a high GI number of 70 or more. It is a simple starch. As a result, anything made of white flour will digest quickly and release sugars all at once, which can cause a spike in blood sugar. The pancreas can go into overdrive, producing insulin to counter all the sugar in the blood.
In the long run, the pancreas can develop insulin resistance, and it can cause a jump in bad cholesterol. And overeating food made of white flour can lead to obesity, as your body can’t consume all the sugar energy it is flooded with and stores it as fats.
On the flip side, consider whole-wheat flour. It is ground with the wheat germ, endosperm, and bran intact. The difference this makes is evident in the nutrient content: half a cup of whole-wheat flour roughly contains 6.4 grams of fiber while ½ cup of white flour contains only 1.3 grams.
What’s more, the difference in glycemic index is also significant between the two types of flour. Whole wheat flour can have a GI of between 56 and 69, which is considered medium GI. White flour can have a GI of over 70, the mark of high GI.
Medium-GI food can be acceptable in moderation for a healthy body. But for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, low GI food is ideal.
Low-GI Food Benefits
The steel-cut oatmeal is coarsely cut whole oats. The grains of the oatmeal are pin-head sized. Oatmeal is closer to the original grain than white flour is to its original grain. Oat groats are thus low-GI foods. They are complex starches, with GI less than 55. They take longer to digest in the body, which means they release a sustained stream of energy throughout the day.
The same can be said of other whole grain cereals. Intact millets, wheat, rye, barley, and rice are low-GI foods. Here’s what characterizes low-GI foods:
- Minimally processed or unprocessed. Low-GI foods are whole foods. Nutrients are removed during processing, and sugars or high fructose corn syrup are added when you least expect them.
- They contain whole grains. Foods made with whole grains have higher fiber content and have lower carbs than simple starches. They’re more filling, are digested slowly, and don’t cause blood glucose spikes and crashes.
- Low-GI foods have low sugar. They keep your blood sugar stable.
Keeping the blood sugar levels steady is dependent on low sugar intakes, whether it’s added sugar or naturally occurring sugar.
It’s important to note that you don’t expect many foods to have sugar content. For instance, whole-wheat bread from your local bakery may have added sugar. So many of your favorite foods like low-fat yogurt, various sauces, soups, and ketchup have added sugar.
Foods With Low GI?
The rule of thumb is simple regarding GI; less processed is low in GI. But here is a list of foods that the American Diabetes Association tells us are low-GI and good for people with diabetes.
- Corn, sweet potatoes, peas, lentils, and legumes
- Steel cut or rolled oats, muesli, oat bran
- Bulgar or barley pasta
- Most non-starchy veggies and carrots, and all fruits
- Small seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame, poppy, hemp)
- Nuts (almond, walnut, peanuts, and cashew)
You may have questions about the position of fruits in the equation since fruits tend to be sweet from sugars. Most fruits lie in the low to moderate GI range, and some fruits are rich in vitamins A, C, and fibers.
But pineapples and watermelons are high-GI fruits even though they’re whole foods. So are pumpkins and russet potatoes. You want to avoid these if you have diabetes. When you consider the glycemic load, you get a more accurate representation of how well certain foods are for your diabetes.
What is a Low Glycemic Load?
Glycemic load calculations create more narrow categories of low, medium, and high GI foods. It is because glycemic load includes the GI and the grams of carbs per serving.
When you consider glycemic load, you can get a more accurate picture of what’s good and what’s not. You can calculate the glycemic load yourself using this formula – GL = (GI X grams of carbs)/100
Depending on what number you get, the food is:
Low GL (0 to 10)
Moderate GL (11 to 19)
High GL (over 20)
Some Low GI, Low GL Food Options
Let’s look at some fruits that are low GI and low GL;
- Apples – Apples have a GI score of 39 and a GL score of 5. A tart-sweet apple can meet 20 percent of your daily fiber needs.
- Grapefruit – Grapefruit has a GI score of over 25 and a GL score of 3. It is packed with vitamin C – you can get your daily minimum from a slice. But watch out for interactions with certain prescription medicines.
- Oranges – Oranges have a GI score of 40 and a GL score of 5. They contain fiber, boost vitamin C, and are full of flavor.
- Strawberries – Strawberries have a GI score of 41 and a GL score of 3. A cup of it has more vitamin C than an orange, and they are also rich in antioxidants and fiber.
Final Thoughts
Low GI foods are the answer to diabetic health issues. They are also a good food habit for anyone who wants to stay healthy in the long run. Refined foods and sugars give you momentary pleasure but a lifetime of trouble. Switch to low GI foods, and your body will thank you.