Which Food Raises How Much Sugar | एक Apple खाने से कितना Blood Sugar बढ़ता है

In our previous blog, Diabetic Foods to Eat and Avoid | डायबिटीज में क्या खाना चाहिए और क्या नहीं खाना चाहिए, we discussed carbohydrates and their types along with how to calculate the net carbohydrate of a food.

All diabetic patients face a similar dilemma: which foods elevate blood sugar levels and by how much? For example, how much blood sugar does an apple raise, how much blood sugar does wheat raise, and so on. So then let’s explore and dive deep into the realm of science.

To find the effect of different food items on blood sugar, one must comprehend the concepts of glycemic load and glycemic index.

The glycemic index (GI)

It is a measure of how rapidly a food causes your blood sugar to elevate. Only carbohydrate-containing foods have a GI and its value is fixed. White and whole wheat bread, white rice, cereal bars, cakes, cookies, potatoes, pineapple, and many more have high GI and should be avoided by diabetic patients. Low GI ranges from 1-55 on a scale of 1-100, medium ranges from 56-69, and high ranges from 70 and above. To play safe, diabetic individuals should consume items with low GI in the range of 20-25.

Listed below are the low GI of common items included in our daily meals.

• Ghee- 0
• Eggs- 0
• Almond – 5
• Soybeans- 16
• Barley- 28
• Lentils- 32  
• Apple – 35
• Dates- 42

Listed below are the high GI of common items from our daily meals.

• Sugar- 65
• Wheat- 70
• White rice-73
• White bread- 75
• Watermelon- 76
• Potato (boiled)- 78
• Cornflakes- 81
• Glucose- 100

Now here is the catch, as you can see apple has a low GI of 35 but when it is converted into liquid form its GI ranges between 40-45. Various studies revealed that liquid has more GI. So, in case when you consume any fruit juice or liquid item, please be aware of its sugar content and GI. We provide a variety of low GI items on our website and also offer diabetes reversal support for patients.

So, in the case of diabetes, low GI foods are beneficial because the pace of rising blood sugar levels is mild. To figure out the GI rating of a packaged product, one should focus on the carbohydrate content indicated on the label of the specific food item. A low carbohydrate level implies a low GI, whereas a high carbohydrate content implies a high GI. It is a prudent idea for diabetic individuals to rely on low-GI foods for quick recovery from rising blood sugar levels.

We all know that carbohydrate is the source of energy production in our bodies, for quick and better comprehension. We also know that the typical blood glucose level ranges from 70 and 100 mg/dL, yet no one cares about the amount of sugar in human blood.

100ml of blood contains 100mg of sugar

Therefore, 1L of blood contains 1gm of sugar. 

So, 5L of blood contains 5gm of sugar.

In humans, there are around 5 liters of blood in the body, so at a given time and situation about 3.3- 7 gm of sugar can be found in the blood. Imagine that 5 liters of blood contains only a teaspoon of sugar in a normal adult. So, it is evident that if a diabetic patient goes for a carbohydrate-restricted diet, he/she might not experience any difference in activeness due to carbohydrate restriction. On the other hand, protein and fats are much more important than carbohydrates because they take part in the repair and maintenance of the body.

Glycemic load (GL)

It is a parameter that measures the amount of carbohydrates in a portion of food as well as how rapidly it elevates blood sugar levels. According to the University of California, the GL value goes from low- 10 or less to medium- 11 to 19 and high- 20 or more. 

To calculate GL, the following formula is used: GL = (GI x amount of available carbohydrates per serving) divided by 100

Listed below are the common food items with their low GLs.

• Cucumber- 0.37
• Watermelon seeds- 0.45
• Buttermilk- 0.90
• Diabexy desi ghee kaju barfi- 1
• Diabexy desi ghee chocolate barfi- 1
• Mushroom- 1.03
• Almond- 1.05
• Capsicum- 1.34
• Curd- 1.80
• Milk (full cream)-1.90
• Soybean- 3.13  
• Apple- 4.69
• Diabexy sugar control Atta- 7
• Diabexy instant dosa mix- 7

Listed below are the common food items with their high GLs

• Sweet potato- 11.28
• Sweet corn- 11.40
• Green banana- 11.84
• Potato- 13.58
• Jack fruit- 17.25
• Besan- 21
• Milk powder whole- 22.80
• Noodles- 32.50
• Oats- 47.25
• Dalia- 50.70
• Honey- 52
• Wheat flakes- 60
• Poha- 79.20
• Corn flakes- 79.98

You can avail Glycemic load chart from our website, which contains around 300 food items with their glycemic load value, which can help you monitor your daily diet and you can have control over the rise of blood sugar levels.

If we try to explain GL scientifically then,

1 glycemic load = 1 gram glucose

5-gram glucose = 100 units of blood sugar

1 gram glucose = 20 units of blood sugar

Therefore 1 glycemic load = 1 gram glucose

And 1 glycemic load = 20 units of blood glucose, that means if the GL of any food is 1 then it increases the blood sugar level by 20 units.

The value of GL is not fixed; it changes with the available quantity of the food. For example, the biscuits available at the market have a high glycemic load that ranges between 65 and above but the Diabexy cookies available on our website have GL of around 5 which is nothing in front of the other biscuits available at the market. 

Normal wheat which is available at the market has a GL of 49 and Diabexy Atta has a GL of 5 just imagine. We offer a wide range of products specially designed not only for diabetic patients but for normal individuals as well on our website with low GL.

In our next blog, 4 thing to check before buying food product for Diabetes | Taking closer look at food label I, we will explain what are the things you should consider before buying any food product. see you in the next blog.