Ranking Fruits and Vegetables Using the Glycemic Index
The glycemic index, or GI, is a tool for evaluating the ability of foods containing carbohydrates to raise blood sugar. When blood sugar increases, the hormone insulin is released to metabolize it. If the increase is very high, the insulin that’s acting to quickly move sugar out of the blood causes a sharp drop in blood sugar. This causes a so-called “crash” that can leave you feeling lethargic, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston says. Eating an excess of foods that cause sharp spikes in blood sugar can make it hard for the pancreas to keep up with insulin production. That can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes, among other health issues.
Foods with a low GI result in smaller fluctuations in blood glucose (sugar) and insulin after eating, while foods with a higher GI cause larger fluctuations in your blood sugar and insulin levels. Low GI foods are associated with maintaining weight loss, as well as a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes or heart disease. A value of 55 and under is considered low, between 56 and 69 is medium, and 70 and above is high. The GI value of foods can vary significantly based on processing or cooking methods, ripeness, and fiber content, MedlinePlus says. It may even vary across different varieties of the same fruit or vegetable — for example, the GI of a Braeburn apple is 32, while the GI of a Golden Delicious apple is 39, according to the University of Sydney, which maintains a searchable GI database database.
Many fruits have a low GI value, according to the University of Sydney database. This makes them good choices for keeping your blood sugar levels steady and maintaining optimal health. Fresh fruits that range from 0 to 55 on the GI include (from lowest GI value to highest):
Keep in mind that drying, baking, stewing, peeling, or otherwise altering these fruits will likely change their GI value. Make sure you’re looking up the GI value for the fruit as you intend to eat it.
Many fruits have a medium GI value, which ranges between 56 and 69, according to the University of Sydney. Although these fruits do not produce as sharp a rise in your blood sugar levels as a high GI food would, their influence over your blood sugar and insulin levels is higher than that of low GI fruits. Such fruits include:
Eating high GI fruits, especially in large quantities, can cause your blood sugar levels to rise quickly. According to the University of Sydney, fruits that range from 70 to 100 on the GI include:
Most vegetables have a low GI. If you are aiming to lower your dietary GI, you can include an abundance of vegetables to help keep your blood sugar levels more stable. According to the University of Sydney and Arkansas Heart Hospital in Little Rock, low GI vegetables include:
Medium GI vegetables can be part of a healthy and balanced low glycemic index diet if eaten in moderation. According to the University of Sydney, vegetables with a GI of 56 to 69 include:
Eating high GI vegetables can result in a sharp increase in your blood sugar levels, potentially leading to a crash once insulin does its job of moving sugar from the blood. According to the University of Sydney, vegetables with a GI of 70 to 100 include:
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