Free Glycemic Index Chart
Is a list of low GI foods really that important?

Free Glycemic Index Chart
Here's a free glycemic index chart. You can use it to add low GI diet foods to your current nutritional plan. However, the question needs to be asked, 'How relevant is a table of low glycemic index values when it comes to losing weight?'

If you eat correctly, having low GI diet foods becomes virtually irrelevant. Here's why...

1. Eating a 'complete' meal slows down the absorption rate of carbohydrates.
The glycemic index of high glycemic index carbohydrates (see the free glycemic index chart below) may be lowered if fiber, protein or fat is added to a meal with them.

Therefore, if you add vegetables or salad (high fiber foods), meat (protein), oil (fat) or oil-containing foods (nuts, seeds or avocadoes) to a meal that contains high GI carbs, the absorption rate will be slowed, limiting insulin secretion and in turn, limiting fat storage.

So there is no problem in having high GI ‘starchy’ carbs as long as you slow down their absorption rate by adding lots of fibrous (containing fibre) vegetables or salad, protein or fat (preferably only the essential fatty acids) to the meal.

Also, eating other lower GI carbohydrate-based foods with the high GI carbs slows down the absorption rate and therefore lowers the GI.

2. Small portions of high GI foods have little impact on blood sugar levels.
If high GI foods (as featured in the free glycemic index chart) are eaten in small quantities then there is no problem with having them on their own!

The small amount will not have any major impact on blood sugar and therefore insulin levels so it won't affect your weight-loss efforts.

3. Some high GI foods are highly nutritious and should be included in your diet.
There is no need to cut out high GI foods (as featured in the free glycemic index chart) altogether, especially since some of them provide a range of essential nutrients to the body.

Just as long as you eat them in a complete meal and in the correct portion size there won't be any problem at all.

It seems that the glycemic index of foods has been over-emphasised in nutrition. Whilst it is good to make an effort to emphasise low GI foods in your diet, there is no need to focus too heavily on eating low GI as long as you eat correctly.

Here is the Free Glycemic Index Chart:

High (75-100)...Medium (50-75)...Low (<50)

Flour..................Multigrain bread.........Pasta
White bread............Rye bread................Broccoli
Jasmine rice...........Pitabread..............Strawberries
White rice.............Cereal...................Baked beans
Rice cakes.............Sugar....................Sweet potato
Corn thins.............Honey....................Diet jelly
Breakfast cereals......Brown rice...............Beans
Jam....................Oats.....................Most fruits
.......................Sultanas.................Dairy foods
.....................Pumpkin..................Most vegetables
................................................Onion
................................................Broccoli
................................................Cauliflower

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