Let food be your medicine and not medicine your food. This is one of my favourite quotes as someone from a nutrition background. Many people are suffering from lifestyle diseases like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, etc. these days. In diabetes, the glucose level in the body is high which is also called Hyperglycemia. Due to different reasons, there are low insulin levels in the body that lead to high sugar levels.[1] So today, I am sharing food items with low GI for a diabetic in this post.

What is GI or Glycemic Index?

Glycemic index is a number or a value assigned to food items based on how slowly or how fast they increase the blood glucose levels. GI is mainly in the range of 0-100 and you can reduce a total GI level of a meal by pairing different food items. For a diabetic, it’s important to know about GI and how different food items impact blood sugar levels[2]. In a way, it’s helpful to manage diabetes.

As my father-in-law was a diabetic, I have observed his eating habits quite closely. That is how I found the following 5 food items.

5 food items with low GI for a diabetic-

food items with low GI

  1. Whole grains like barley, oats, whole wheat, millets, etc.
  2. Nuts & legumes
  3. Fruits – whole fruit and not fruit juices
  4. Non-starchy vegetables
  5. Low-fat milk and milk products

Let’s go into more details about the foods with low GI. I am sharing the options in each food group and why they are good for a diabetic.

Low GI food options for a diabetic –

  1. Low GI fruits – Few fruits have a low GI and won’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels immediately. For example, apples, peaches, oranges, cranberries, blueberries, and plums.[3] These fruits can be given to a diabetic as they are low in sugar.
  2. Low GI vegetables – Non-starchy vegetables like tomato, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots are good for diabetics[4]. These are all rich in fiber too and that’s why digested slowly and do not spike blood sugar levels immediately. They also give a feeling of fullness for a long time.
  3. Low GI grains – Whole grains such as whole wheat flour or brown rice are better for a diabetic because the type of grains you are using makes a lot of difference. That’s why Aashirvad sugar release control atta is a good choice. It is a blend of whole wheat and natural grains like methi and oats that makes it a low GI atta. It helps to prevent sugar level spikes as it is rich in fiber and proteins too.

I remember that one of the reasons for blood sugar levels spiking in my father-in-law’s case was stress. So, avoid stress, exercise daily, eat right and you can manage diabetes effectively. Choose low GI foods as much as possible. You can also look at the GI of the entire meal if not the individual items. Choosing the right food options is very important when you are a diabetic.

I hope this post helped you #KnowGITakeControl. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.


[1] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/313138#:~:text=In%20type%201%20diabetes%2C%20the,levels%20within%20the%20target%20range.

[2] https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods#:~:text=The%20glycemic%20index%20is%20a,glycemic%20index%20release%20glucose%20rapidly.

[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/low-glycemic-fruits-for-diabetes

[4] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317225

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