Low GI Symbol: what does it mean?

Low GI Symbol: what does it mean?

Low GI foods help you manage blood glucose levels, reduce risk of diabetes and heart disease, and maintain a healthy weight. The Low GI Symbol helps everybody make healthier food choices for long term health, well being and sustained energy.

The Gylcemic Index (GI) is a measurement for the effect that a carbohydrate food has on blood sugar levels. For example a food with a high GI level could be something like a cake, lollies or even white bread. These type of high GI foods give your insulin levels a quick spike. Energy is absorbed quickly into your body and used quickly and dissipates rapidly.

Foods with low GI levels like pasta and oats are absorbed slowly into the body and the energy is distributed evenly and for a prolonged period of time. Energy last longer because insulin levels are slowly increase rather than spiking.

A low GI diet is highly recommended and with an array of benefits. Low GI diets help maintain a healthy weight, lower cholesterol, manage insulin within the body effectively, increasing endurance, and replace carbohydrates after exercise.

Foods with a low GI rating provide greater satisfaction and fill you up more, preventing the onset of hunger for longer. Because low GI foods are absorbed slowly into the body they are more effective in giving you sustained sustenance which is useful for people trying to manage weight.

Looking at foods to incorporate into your diet? Look for foods with a low GI symbol. This is comparable to the Heart Foundations tick and will help you to achieve balance with your energy levels as well as providing many other health benefits.

Check out the great range of USANA Foods which are all formulated as low GI.


Here are some foods with a low GI rating:

· Oat Bran
· Rolled Oats
· Wholegrain Bread
· Sourdough Rye
· Carrots
· Eggplant
· Broccoli
· Mushrooms
· Tomatoes
· Wheat Pasta
· Sweet Potatoes
· Peanuts
· Walnuts

Written by

View all posts by:

2 Responses

  1. Deannie

    Hi,

    I’m new in the Usana Business, I apologize if I enter the wrong place.
    I wonder if you could help me this, I want to listen to the Optimal Wellness “Restoring Youthful” Inside and Outside that was on the video I think on April 7th 2010, is there any Podcast or anything like that that I can listen to?
    Thank you for your help.

    Kind Regards,
    Deannie Kwee

    April 27, 2010
  2. Helzie

    Hi,

    I was surprised to read how pasta has low GI! I had always been told that pasta and white rice and white bread has high GI and are the foods to avoid!

    So I did a little research and found this interesting passage:
    “The glycemic index of pasta made from wheat (most pasta) depends a lot upon the shape of the pasta (the thicker, the lower the GI), and the way it is cooked. When cooked as the Italians do, “al dente” – somewhat firm – it has the lowest glycemic index. The longer you cook it, the softer it is, and the higher the GI.
    With variation depending upon these factors, most of the studies of wheat pasta show GIs in the 40’s to low 60’s, with a few dipping into the 30’s.”
    (From http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/whattoeat/a/glycemicindlist_2.htm)

    I felt bad when I ate pasta before, but now, I feel safer eating pasta- as long as its al dente.

    July 3, 2010