Category Archives: Glycaemic Index

Why You Should Choose Legumes Over Grains

A healthy high quality diet should be composed of fat, protein and carbohydrate. All of these components should be of high quality which means that the protein should contain all the essential amino acids in the right proportions for human … Continue reading

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The Glycaemic Index

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Are High Glycaemic Index Foods Addictive?

It is known that certain foods are addictive. Most people are aware of the addictive nature of drinks containing alcohol and caffeine, but it is often surprising to learn that low quality processed foods containing high amounts of fat and … Continue reading

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More on Legume Fibre: Sequestration of Starch

The seeds of legumes (pulses) include beans, peas and lentils. Legumes show beneficial health effects when consumed by humans, and one way that legumes are thought to be beneficial to is through their beneficial glycaemic effects. In this regard legumes … Continue reading

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More On the Complexity of Fibre

Traditionally fibre has been seen as roughage providing bulk to the food and nothing more. However, recently research has shown that fibre is likely an essential component of the human diet. Fibre is actually a diverse group of carbohydrates that … Continue reading

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Do Polyphenols Lower the Glycaemic Index of Foods?

The glycaemic index is a measure of the rate at which plasma glucose levels increase following ingestion of carbohydrate foods. Foods are tested in comparison to a reference standard and given a value on a relative scale. The reference standard … Continue reading

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The Trouble With The Glycaemic Index

The glycaemic index (GI) is a measure of the rate of increase in plasma glucose following consumption of a carbohydrate food. Generally a reference food which is either white bread or glucose power is given a value of 100, and … Continue reading

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More On The Amylose To Amylopectin Ratio

A high glycaemic response to food is problematic because chronic raised levels of blood sugar are implicated as a causative factor in disease. In particular, high glycaemic responses to carbohydrates are thought to lead to weight gain, metabolic syndrome, type … Continue reading

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Digestibility of Beans

Beans have important health properties that are related to their slow rate of digestion. Understanding the digestibility of beans is therefore important in the nutritional sciences. Beans and other legumes have their starch contained within strong parenchymal cells that are … Continue reading

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Glycaemic Index: The Response to Western Foods

Evidence in the nutritional literature shows an association between low quality foods and the risk of Western lifestyle disease. In particular, refined and processed cereal grains and crystalline sugar are thought to significantly increase the risk of obesity, type 2 … Continue reading

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