How can someone with diabetes use the Glycaemic Index?
High GI foods result in more glucose being released into the blood at a faster rate and can make blood glucose levels more difficult to control. On the other hand, a low GI food can help control blood glucose levels as the break down of carbohydrate is slower and glucose is released at a slower rate. Studies have found improvements in blood glucose control in people following a low GI diet. To incorporate GI into your diabetes management, try including at least one food with a low GI at each meal. By combining a low GI food with a high GI food, the overall GI of the meal will be moderate. This will result in better blood glucose control. What can affect Glycaemic Index? There are many factors that can affect the GI of food. These include: • Method of cooking and processing: the refining of products breaks up the food so it is digested more quickly. For example, white bread has a higher GI than whole grain bread. • Type of sugar: the sugar found in food eg fructose, lactose is broken do
