Glycemic index

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By Rajnish Mago, MD (bio)

Glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values determined in subjects with normal glucose tolerance: 2008

Glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values determined in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance, small subject numbers or values showing wide variability: 2008

Potential benefits of eating a diet with a low glycemic index

Eating a diet with a low glycemic index is important for the prevention and treatment of diabetes, pre-diabetes, and coronary artery disease (Augustin et al., 2015). It may also be helpful in preventing some cancers but this more uncertain that the benefits for the other conditions listed above (e.g., Schlesinger et al., 2017)

Vegetables

In general, we can assume that vegetables have a low glycemic index. But, here are some exceptions:

Carrots.

Fruits

In general, we should assume that fruits contain fructose and have a moderate or high glycemic index. But, some fruits have a low glycemic index. Some of these are (alphabetically): Apples, cherries, peaches, pears, plums

Related Pages

Glycemic index for 60+ foods (Harvard Health Publishing)

References

Atkinson FS, Foster-Powell K, Brand-Miller JC. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008 Dec;31(12):2281-3. doi: 10.2337/dc08-1239. Epub 2008 Oct 3. PubMed PMID: 18835944; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2584181.

Augustin LS, Kendall CW, Jenkins DJ, Willett WC, Astrup A, Barclay AW, Björck I, Brand-Miller JC, Brighenti F, Buyken AE, Ceriello A, La Vecchia C, Livesey G, Liu S, Riccardi G, Rizkalla SW, Sievenpiper JL, Trichopoulou A, Wolever TM, Baer-Sinnott S, Poli A. Glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response: An International Scientific Consensus Summit from the International Carbohydrate Quality Consortium (ICQC). Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2015 Sep;25(9):795-815. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2015.05.005. Epub 2015 May 16. PubMed PMID: 26160327.

Evans CE, Greenwood DC, Threapleton DE, Gale CP, Cleghorn CL, Burley VJ. Glycemic index, glycemic load, and blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2017 May;105(5):1176-1190. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.143685. Epub 2017 Apr 12. Review. PubMed PMID: 28404579.

Kaur B, Ranawana V, Henry J. The Glycemic Index of Rice and Rice Products: A Review, and Table of GI Values. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(2):215-36. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2012.717976. Review. PubMed PMID: 25590950.

Rouhani MH, Kelishadi R, Hashemipour M, Esmaillzadeh A, Azadbakht L. Glycemic index, glycemic load and childhood obesity: A systematic review. Adv Biomed Res. 2014 Jan 24;3:47. doi: 10.4103/2277-9175.125757. eCollection 2014. Review. PubMed PMID: 24627855; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3949335.

Sieri S, Krogh V. Dietary glycemic index, glycemic load and cancer: An overview of the literature. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2017 Jan;27(1):18-31. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2016.09.014. Epub 2016 Oct 10. Review. PubMed PMID: 27986350.

Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G. Long-term effects of low glycemic index/load vs. high glycemic index/load diets on parameters of obesity and obesity-associated risks: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2013 Aug;23(8):699-706. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2013.04.008. Epub 2013 Jun 17. Review. PubMed PMID: 23786819.

Wang Q, Xia W, Zhao Z, Zhang H. Effects comparison between low glycemic index diets and high glycemic index diets on HbA1c and fructosamine for patients with diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Prim Care Diabetes. 2015 Oct;9(5):362-9. doi: 10.1016/j.pcd.2014.10.008. Epub 2014 Dec 16. Review. PubMed PMID: 25524422.

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