Medsarticles. Medical Weblog

This glossary describes of some of the key foods that can form part of a low G.I. diet.

Popcorn (G.I. of 55) • A surprisingly low G.I. for a processed product The type of starch or changes to its structure in the popping and cooling of the popcorn may be the cause of the lower G.I. Popcorn is a high fibre snack food.

Porridge • Published G.I. factors range from a low 42 up to 66 for ‘one minute oats’. The additional catting of rolled oats to produce quick cooking oats probably increases the rate of digestion causing a higher G.I.

Pumpernickel bread (G.I. of 41) • Also known as rye kernel bread because the dough it is made from contains 80 to 90 per cent whole rye kernels. It has a strong flavour and is usually sold thinly sliced. Because it is not made with fine flour, its G.I. is much lower than ordinary bread. Available in supermarkets and delicatessens.

Quick-cooking wheat (G.I. of 54) • Whole wheat grains which have been physically treated to allow short cooking times, it Is most often used as a substitute for rice. The whole grain structure also acts as a barrier and so reduces its digestibility and hence lowers the G.I.

Rice bran (G.I. of 19) • Rich in fibre (25 per cent by weight) and oil (20 per cent by weight), rice bran has an extremely low G.I. It is available in the cereal section of supermarkets as Sunfarm Rice Bran from Sunrice Australia.

Spaghetti (G.I. of 41) • While both fresh and dried pastas have a low G.I. this is not the case for canned spaghetti. Canned spaghetti is generally made from flour rather than high protein semolina and is very well cooked—two factors which are likely to give it a high G.I.

Sultanas (G.I. of 56) • Sultanas are less acidic than grapes and this may account for their slightly higher G.I. since increased acidity is associated with lower G.I. factors.

Sweet corn (G.I. of 55) • Raw, fresh, frozen or canned varieties would be suitable to use. Corn on the cob has a lower G.I. than com chips or cornflakes. The intact whole kernel makes enzymic attack more difficult.

Sweet potato (G.I. of 54) • Belonging to a different plant family to regular potato, sweet potatoes are mainly available either white or yellow/orange in colour. The ’sweetness’ comes from a high sucrose content. Sweet potato is high in fibre. It has a lower G.I. than regular potato varieties.

Vinegar (G.I. = 0) • All types of vinegars, even in small amounts (1 tablespoon) contain adds which put a break on stomach emptying and slow down digestion in the small intestine. The most effective appear to be red and white wine vinegars.

Yoghurt (G.I. of 33) • A concentrated milk product, soured by the use of specific bacteria. All varieties have a low G.I. including those containing sugar. Artificially sweetened brands have both a lower G.I. factor and contain fewer kilojoules.

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