When to Eat High Glycemic Foods?

The Glycemic Index (GI) is an index that details the ranking of carbohydrates based on how the consumption of carbohydrates influences the glucose levels in your body. Foods that have a low-glycemic index have a minimal effect on blood sugar and insulin levels in your body, and high-glycemic food selections are foods that can cause your blood and insulin levels to increase dramatically in a short period of time. High-glycemic foods are often associated with the onset of cardiovascular conditions and diabetes. However, there are times when high-glycemic foods are healthy for you.

What Is a High Glycemic Food Selection?

• When a food selection receives a glycemic index, it is assigned a number ranging from 0 to 100; the higher the ranking, the more influence the food selection has on your blood and insulin levels. High-glycemic foods are quickly digested and absorbed by your body and increase glucose levels rapidly. Low-glycemic foods are digested and absorbed slowly and their effects on insulin and blood sugar levels are gradual.

  A food's glycemic index is determined through laboratory testing. Five to ten healthy individuals consume 50g of test food. Blood samples are collected via finger prick tests every 15 to 30 minutes for a period of two hours after the test food is consumed, and the blood sugar levels are recorded. A graph is created to indicate the curve rate at which one's blood sugar levels are affected. The area below the curve indicates the glycemic index of the food being tested. Glycemic index ratings of 70 GI or higher are considered a high-glycemic food selection. Foods assigned a glycemic index of 59 to 69 are medium GI foods, and anything under 55 GI is considered a low-glycemic food.

When to Consume High Glycemic Foods

• In Principles and Labs for Fitness and Wellness, Sharon A. Hoeger explains that regularly consuming high-glycemic foods without balancing them with low-glycemic food selections is not recommended, because this can lead to cardiovascular conditions and diabetes onset and/or complications. Hoeger also explains, however, that combining high and low-glycemic food selections in moderation is acceptable, since the balancing food selections can result in the consumption of foods that have a moderate or medium glycemic level.

  Athletes can benefit from consuming high glycemic foods at specific periods during the day. Low-glycemic food selections are recommended for athletes prior to exercise sessions. High-glycemic foods should be consumed after exercise sessions to replenish lowered glycogen levels after extensive and/or exhaustive aerobic exercise. Choose the healthiest options among high-glycemic foods to acquire adequate nutrients.

Types of High Glycemic Foods

• In The Mind-Body Makeover Project: A 12-Week Plan for Transforming Your Body and Your Life, Michael Gerrish lists some of the common extremely high, high and moderately high-glycemic foods that people consume.

  Extremely high-glycemic food selections include baked potatoes, cooked carrots, cooked parsnips, corn flakes, fava beans, French bread, millet, puffed rice, instant rice, white bread and food containing simple sugars like honey.

  High-glycemic food selections include apricots, bananas, candy, corn chips, crackers, Grape Nuts cereal, low-fat ice cream, mangos, mashed potatoes, pastries, papayas, raisins, rye bread, Shredded Wheat cereal, sweet corn, tortilla chips, wheat bread and white rice.

  Moderately-high glycemic foods include baked beans, bran, buckwheat, canned pears, fruit cocktail, grapefruit juice, grapes, green peas, orange juice, pineapple juice, potato chips, spaghetti, sponge cake, sweet potatoes and yams.

Wise High-Glycemic Selections

• Use common sense when choosing high-glycemic foods. If you want to add potatoes to your diet, choose mashed potatoes instead of baked potatoes, because mashed potatoes have a lower glycemic index. If you want to add bread to your diet, choose wheat bread over white bread selections; wheat bread offers you more vitamins and has a lower glycemic index than white bread, which is made with processed flour. Refrain from processed foods with a high-glycemic content that offer you little nutritional value like potato chips, cookies, crackers, candy, corn chips and sponge cake.