It is commonly advised to patients with blood sugar problems to switch to a low GI diet because of its several health benefits.
Depending on the type of sugar it contains, the structure of the starch, the cooking method, and the level of ripeness, the GI levels in a portion of food is measured.
To understand the health benefits of a low glycemic index, let’s first understand the concept of the Glycemic Index.
What is GI?
Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet and are present in bread, cereals, fruits, vegetables and dairy products. When we consume any type of carb, our digestive system breaks it down into simple sugars that enter the bloodstream.
The Glycemic Index or GI is a measurement system that ranks the foods based on their effect on the blood sugar levels.
With pure glucose at a GI value of 100, the three glycemic ratings are Low(<55), Medium(56-69) and High(>70). Studies have shown that a diet with low GI may result in weight loss, reduced blood sugar levels, lower risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Eating foods with a low GI is one way of keeping diabetes under control. They’re digested and absorbed slowly, resulting in a much slower and smaller rise in blood sugar levels.
Staple Indian food consists of several low to medium energy foods with all types of carbohydrates that are both delectable and have a low glycemic index.
One such example is Organic Wholegrain Basmati rice. Wholegrain Basmati rice has the lowest GI of all rice types and can be a crucial and delicious part of diabetes management.
As per verywealthhealth.com. The following charts highlight low, medium, and high GI foods based on data from the American Diabetes Association.
| Low-GI Foods (55 or Less) | |
|---|---|
| Foods | GI |
| Apple | 36 |
| Apple juice | 41 |
| Banana | 51 |
| Barley | 28 |
| Carrots, boiled | 39 |
| Chapatti | 52 |
| Chickpeas | 28 |
| Chocolate | 40 |
| Dates | 42 |
| Ice cream | 51 |
| Kidney beans | 24 |
| Lentils | 32 |
| Mango | 51 |
| Orange | 43 |
| Orange juice | 50 |
| Peaches, canned | 43 |
| Plantain | 55 |
| Rice noodles | 53 |
| Rolled oats | 55 |
| Skim milk | 37 |
| Soya beans | 16 |
| Soy milk | 34 |
| Spaghetti, white | 49 |
| Spaghetti, whole grain | 48 |
| Specialty grain bread | 53 |
| Strawberry jam | 49 |
| Sweet corn | 52 |
| Taro, boiled | 53 |
| Udon noodles | 55 |
| Vegetable soup | 48 |
| Whole milk | 39 |
| Yogurt, fruit | 41 |
| Medium-GI Foods (56 to 69) | |
|---|---|
| Foods | GI |
| Brown rice, boiled | 68 |
| Couscous | 65 |
| French fries | 63 |
| Millet porridge | 67 |
| Muesli | 57 |
| Pineapple | 59 |
| Popcorn | 65 |
| Potato chips | 56 |
| Pumpkin, boiled | 64 |
| Soda, non-diet | 59 |
| Sweet potato, boiled | 63 |
| Wheat flake biscuits cereal | 69 |
| Wheat roti | 62 |
| High-GI Foods (70 to 100) | |
|---|---|
| Foods | GI |
| Cornflakes | 81 |
| Instant oatmeal | 79 |
| Potato, boiled | 78 |
| Potatoes, instant mashed | 87 |
| Rice milk | 86 |
| Rice porridge | 78 |
| Rice crackers | 87 |
| Unleavened wheat bread | 70 |
| Watermelon | 76 |
| White rice, boiled | 73 |
| White bread (wheat) | 75 |
| Whole wheat bread | 74 |
Thanks to technology, we can now buy organic food online including various types of spices and rice that are a great source of fibre, are important for gut health and improve bowel function. Foods like these are associated with a lower risk of bowel cancer and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes complications. Because of their property of digesting slowly, they give a feeling of being full for a longer time and aid weight management. A high intake of whole-grain foods has also been associated with a lower risk of stroke and heart disease.
Basmati rice and other whole-grain foods have superior nutritional content as compared to other organic foods online. They contain a higher amount of vitamin B along with minerals such as copper and magnesium. The higher magnesium content present in Basmati can help with blood sugar control.
The low GI and other nutrients found in rice and other organic groceries online are known to make a valuable contribution to the diets of people with type 2 diabetes.
