The Lowest of the Low are the Best of the Best

The glycaemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates (sugar) on a scale of 0 (low) to 100 (high) for how quickly foods make your blood sugar levels rise after eating them. High-GI foods are very easily broken down and so rapidly increase blood sugar levels. Your insulin response mechanism keeps your blood sugar balanced, but it can become challenged over time if you are constantly consuming too many high-GI foods (a main factor contributing to diabetes, obesity and other chronic illnesses). Your best bet for optimal health and energy management is to stick to mostly low-GI fruits and vegetables. High-GI foods tend to be refined, simple sugars and low-GI foods tend to be unrefined, complex carbs. The GI of foods is affected by cooking, storing and processing. A raw vegetable or fruit tends to have an even lower GI than its cooked counterpart.