Carbohydrates and the Glyceamic Index
The glyceamic index of a carbohydrate can differ depending on the level of refinement or chemical processing that is involved in its creation.
For example; soft white baps normally have an index of 95 while white baguettes have an index of 70 and wholemeal bread have an index value of just 50. This means severely processed and refined foods have a greater effect on blood sugar levels and should be avoided by most people but especially people with diabetes.
Here are examples of some good and bad carbohydrates with their glyceamic index:
| BAD Carbohydrates with a high glyceamic index (a greater effect on Blood glucose levels) | GOOD Carbohydrates with a low glyceamic index (a lesser affect on glucose levels) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Glucose | 100 | Wholemeal bread or bread with bran Wholegrain rice Peas Wholegrain cereals without sugar |
50 |
| Jacket Potato Very white bread |
95 | Oat flakes Fresh fruit juice (without added sugar) Wholemeal rye bread Wholewheat pasta Red Kidney Beans |
40 |
| Honey Mashed Potato |
90 | Dried peas 100 percent stoneground wholewheat bread Milk products |
35 |
| Popcorn Corn Flakes Carrots |
85 | Dried beans Lentils Chickpeas 100 percent stoneground wholewheat pasta Fresh fruit |
30 |
| White bread Refined cereals with sugar Chocolate bar Boiled potato Biscuits Sweet corn White rice |
70 | Dark chocolate (made with more than 60 percent cocoa) | 22 |
| Brown bread Beetroot |
Soya | 15 | |
| Bananas | 60 | Green vegetables Tomatoes Lemon mushroom |
≤15 |
| Jam Non-wholewheat pasta |
55 | ||
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