Living with a disability and eating well
Did you know..… Persons living with a disability are more likely to have nutrition related ill health than the general population? This includes challenges related to body weight (both under […]
> Read nowThe Glycaemic Index (GI) measures how fast a carbohydrate food is digested and absorbed into the blood stream.
What are carbohydrate foods?
Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for our body providing fuel to power our brain and muscles. Carbohydrate containing foods are grain foods (such as bread, rice pasta), legumes, fruits and starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn. Milk and yogurt also contain carbohydrates.
When we eat carbohydrate food, our digestive system breaks it down into tiny glucose molecules which are then released into our blood stream providing us with energy.
The Glycaemic Index
Different carbohydrate foods have a different impact on our blood glucose levels depending on their GI rating.
Low GI foods are digested slowly and provide a slow release of glucose into our blood stream which provides longer lasting energy. These foods also help us to stay full for longer.
High GI foods are digested quickly and release glucose quickly into bloodstream. These foods can give us a quick hit of energy, but it doesn’t last very long making us feel hungry and tired soon after.
Choosing low GI foods can be beneficial for:
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The Bottom Line
Choosing low GI foods is an important part of a healthy balanced diet that includes plenty of vegetables, lean sources of protein, healthy fats and limited discretionary (junk) foods. |
Glycaemic Index of Common Foods
| Lower GI foods | Higher GI foods | ||
| Fruit | |||
|
Apples
| Plums Grapes Pears Kiwi fruit Oranges Berries | Dried dates Lychees, canned Watermelon | |
| Vegetables | |||
| Sweet potato Corn | Yam Taro | Parnsips Potato, pale skin, boiled or baked. Purple skin sweet potato | |
| Grain foods | |||
| Pumpernickel bread Sourdough bread Multigrain bread Basmati, Mahatma or Doongara rice | Barley Pasta (white and wholemeal) Rolled oats (whole oats) Muesli | White bread Wholemeal bread Puffed rice breakfast cereal Corn flakes |
Jasmine and arborio rice |
| Legumes | |||
| Baked beans Chickpeas Lentils | Butter beans Kidney beans Soy beans | Broadbeans | |
| Dairy foods and alternatives | |||
|
Milk | Rice milk Oat milk |
Look for the GI Symbol
Foods that carry the GI symbol have had their glycaemic index tested at a recommended laboratory and are low GI.
To learn more about GI and look up products visit www.gisymbol.com
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