Glycemic Index Foods For Your Brain & Body

Glycemic index foods or GI foods are foods ranked according to their effect on blood glucose levels. Eating low GI foods is good for us. These foods keep our blood glucose and insulin from soaring and then dropping.

This is preferred because it allows for a balanced state. Glucose is released slowly and evenly into the bloodstream when low GI diets are maintained. These diets help us lose weight, and maintain that lost weight. Low GI foods may contribute to lower risk of heart disease, lower blood cholesterol, good brain health and over all well-being including higher energy levels.

Each food must be tested before we know its GI rating. Sourdough bread, for example, has a low GI rating. As does, yams, almonds, and bananas. Potatoes are medium to high on the GI index.

Secret: Pastas were once considered high GI. They actually fall into the low rating. This is good if you enjoy pasta!

A GI rating of 55 or lower is good, 56 to 69 is considered medium and over 70 is considered high.

Check GI ratings of foods here.

Also consider that when you eat a variety of mixed foods at a meal you are combining the GI values. In other words, you can eat some higher indexed foods and the impact will be lessened as you're eating lower indexed foods as well. Enjoy!