Womens Health Wellness - Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is basically a chart that ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels. To manage our weight and achieve optimal health, keeping our blood sugar levels stable is imperative.

The idea behind the glycemic index chart is to choose the foods with the least impact on your blood glucose levels. (“Glycemic” means “pertaining to the presence of glucose in the blood”.)

Sounds like a good thing to follow – except that the glycemic index does not take into account that everyone is different. Our carbohydrate sensitivity vary from person to person and from food to food. Plus, a carbohydrates’ affect on our blood sugar level is greatly influenced by food combinations. We know that good protein, good fat, micronutrients in Super Foods and fiber slows this process. Food combinations make a huge difference. We must pay attention to the mind body connection in each us as a guide.

So because we are all different, I suggest ignoring the glycemic index. Stick to the Super Foods and eat in the combinations outlined in the Food Symmetry plan. Optimal health is our goal that leads to physical and emotional wellness and our spiritual wellness. Womens health wellness suggest to keep it simple so that you will succeed.

(Editor’s note: This article mentions an amazing food program called “Food Symmetry”. Learn all about it in the Cup-Of-Life Newsletter.)

The glycemic load is a concept that takes into account the typical portion size of a food. The glycemic index assumes that each portion is the same size – disregarding the “average serving size. For example, a serving of chocolate is typically smaller than an average serving of spaghetti. The glycemic load is an attempt to show the relative amount of blood sugar influence in each food – but based on appropriate servings.

Womens health wellness gives you the below chart which contains a glycemic index value (GI) followed by a relative glycemic load value.

Table of glycemic index and glycemic load values
The average GI of 62 common foods derived from multiple studies by different laboratories
High-carbohydrate foods	GI
White wheat bread*	75±2
Whole wheat/whole meal bread	74±2
Speciality grain bread	53±2
Unleavened wheat bread*	70±5
Wheat roti	62±3
Chapatti	52±4
Corn tortilla	46±4
White rice, boiled*	73±4
Brown rice, boiled	68±4
Barley	28±2
Sweet corn	52±5
Spaghetti, white	49±2
Spaghetti, whole meal	48±5
Rice noodles†	53±7
Udon noodles	55±7
Couscous†	65±4
Breakfast Cereals
Cornflakes	81±6
Wheat flake biscuits	69±2
Porridge, rolled oats	55±2
Instant oat porridge	79±3
Rice porridge/congee	78±9
Millet porridge	67±5
Muesli	57±2
Fruit and fruit products
Apple, raw†	36±2
Orange, raw†	43±3
Banana, raw†	51±3
Pineapple, raw	59±8
Mango, raw†	51±5
Watermelon, raw	76±4
Dates, raw	42±4
Peaches, canned†	43±5
Strawberry jam/jelly	49±3
Apple juice	41±2
Orange juice	50±2
Vegetables
Potato, boiled	78±4
Potato, instant mashed	87±3
Potato, french fries	63±5
Carrots, boiled	39±4
Sweet potato, boiled	63±6
Pumpkin, boiled	64±7
Plantain/green banana	55±6
Taro, boiled	53±2
Vegetable soup	48±5
Dairy products and alternatives
Milk, full fat	39±3
Milk, skim	37±4
Ice cream	51±3
Yogurt, fruit	41±2
Soy milk	34±4
Rice milk	86±7
Legumes
Chickpeas	28±9
Kidney beans	24±4
Lentils	32±5
Soya beans	16±1
Snack products
Chocolate	40±3
Popcorn	65±5
Potato crisps	56±3
Soft drink/soda	59±3
Rice crackers/crisps	87±2
Sugars
Fructose	15±4
Sucrose	65±4
Glucose	103±3
Honey	61±3

What Is The Glycemic Index?

Table of glycemic index and glycemic load values

The average GI of 62 common foods derived from multiple studies by different laboratories