What Influences the Glycemic Load/Index?
Many factors help determine your body’s glycemic response to a particular food, including: • Physical form, such as a whole apple vs. applesauce. Mashing foods tends to give them a higher glycemic index/load. • Ripeness. The riper the fruit, the higher its glycemic index. • Fiber — particularly viscous fiber, a type of soluble fiber found in oats, barley, and other foods. Generally, the higher the fiber, the lower the glycemic index/load. • Acidity. The higher a food’s acidity, the lower its glycemic index/load. • Processing. The more processed or refined a food, generally, the higher its glycemic index/load will be. When a grain is in a more “whole” form, your body’s digestive enzymes have a tougher time breaking it down, which lowers the glycemic response to it. (There are some notable exceptions: pasta, and parboiled and basmati rice tend to have lower glycemic indexes, especially if they’re not overcooked.) • Whether protein and fat were eaten with the food. The presence of high a
