What is the Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index is the measure of the rate at which ingested food causes the level of glucose in the blood to rise – Merriam-Webster Dictionary. The concept of the glycemic index was created in the early 1980′s. Since then it has been linked to many different weight loss diets and is used to explain one cause of obesity.
Glycemic Index ranges
- High range is 70 or above
- Medium range is 56-69
- Low range in 55 or less
Where does Raw Food and specifically fruit fall on the glycemic index?
| Food |
Glycemic Index | Rank |
| Apple | 38 | low |
| Appricot | 57 | medium |
| Banana | 55 | low |
| Cantaloupe | 65 | medium |
| Cherries | 22 | low |
| Grapefruit | 25 | low |
| Grapes, green | 46 | low |
| Kiwi | 52 | low |
| Mango | 55 | low |
| Orange | 44 | low |
| Peach | 30 | low |
| Pear | 38 | low |
| Pineapple | 68 | medium |
| Plum | 69 | medium |
| Prune | 29 | low |
| Raisins | 64 | medium |
| Watermelon | 72 | high |
Of the 17 items, listed 11 are listed as low, 5 as medium and 1 as high.
According to Dr. Fuhrman author of Eat to Live, “Scientific evidence indicates that the glycemic index of a food is not a reliable predictor of the effect food has on blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and insulin levels.” He goes on to state that the studies on the negative effects of high-glycemic foods always analyze diets that contain refined flour and simple sugar and are low in micronutrients and fiber. It is the poor quality of the high-glycemic diet that promotes weight gain and disease – not merely the high glycemic index foods.
You don’t need to be concerned about the glycemic index of a particular natural food if it is otherwise nutrient and fiber rich and is part of a healthful diet.
The present of fiber is more important than the glycemic index of a raw, whole, ripe, fresh food.
A low glycemic rating relates to slower digestion and absorption of a food carbohydrates. This slower absorption is linked to lower calorie consumption and weight loss. This is believed because when you your glucose levels rise and fall quickly you get hungry and want to eat. The real problem is not the glycemic index of the food but the consumption of more calories.
The over consumption of food causes weight gain.
As a reminder, the studies that determine these findings were done on diets that contained processed foods not natural high-fiber plant foods.
Now you have a reason not to eat processed foods and to eat more high quality foods, those being fresh, whole, raw, ripe fruit.
For more information on glycemic index, check out my other blog article Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load.
Raw Foods Rocks!!