Carbohydrate / of which sugars

[HelenM]

Re frosties having a lower than expected glycemic index.
Even experts can be surprised

'We were surprised to learn that Frosties(tm) had a relatively low G.I. factor. Most flaked cereals, whether high or low in sugar , have high G.I. values. In the case of Frosties, it may be that the low water content and high sugar levels added during cooking (rather than afterwards) has resulted in limited gelatinisation of the starch. Ungelatinised starch granules take longer to be digested and therefore should reduce the glycemic effect. It just goes to show you that you can't guess the final G.I. of a food by examining the ingredient list.

The GI Revolution (J.Brand-Miller and co)

gelatinisation is when the starch granules are mixed with water and heat swell and eventually break apart. Think about what happens when you add flour to thicken a sauce or in making a roux.
The amount of gelatinisation that occurs during preparation /cooking is one of the major factor in the GI of a food.
(I like this explanation of what changes GI, not personally keen on the specific diet)
http://www.montignac.com/en/the-factors-that-modify-glycemic-indexes/

As to GL, I count carbs for insulin, and tend to a eat similar balance of foods and similar amount of carbs in normal everyday meals ( basically use the plate method) so I find that using the GI itself is a good tool to help choose between foods of the same type (ie basmati not jasmine rice; similar amounts of carbs but one far lower GI) Calculating GL would be a bit redundant.






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[rachelha]

As to GL, I count carbs for insulin, and tend to a eat similar balance of foods and similar amount of carbs in normal everyday meals ( basically use the plate method) so I find that using the GI itself is a good tool to help choose between foods of the same type (ie basmati not jasmine rice; similar amounts of carbs but one far lower GI) Calculating GL would be a bit redundant.

Oh poo, I bought a bag of Jasmine rice this week as the shop was out of basmati. I guess that will be going to the back of the cupboard then. I knew sticky rice was awful, I had not realised Jasmine was just as bad.

 

[HelenM]

They found a GI for Jasmine rice cooked in a rice cooker of 109😱
Two other tests (no cooking method given came out at 79

Basmati has quite a big range (different sources/cooking methods/times)
15 results ranging from 43-69

Funnily enough some industrial processing reduces GI. An Uncle Ben's Pouch (ie converted rice ) containing a mix of long grain and Jasmine was 48

 

[PattiEvans]

Patti are you sure about that? pure sugar (as in a spoonful of the stuff) is guaranteed to hit you quicker than a mix of powders, E numbers, flavourings, oh and the tiny sprinkling of dehydrated potato flakes

When I last looked at Tesco's offering it was actually made of potatoes, and was so pureed as to guarantee quick absorption. In fact I so rarely eat pre-prepared things in packets, jars that I don't worry too much. I was mainly going by the advice I had from the dietitian.

 

[PattiEvans]

For interest I came upon this study today during a conversation elsewhere, but I immediately thought of this thread. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/8/2466.extract

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

For interest I came upon this study today during a conversation elsewhere, but I immediately thought of this thread. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/26/8/2466.extract

That makes perfect sense to me... get the (reduced) level of carb intake right to begin with, then generally attempt to make low GI/GL choices and combinations within those limits.