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Whether you want clarity on a cooking technique, recipe term or specific ingredient,
you'll find it here in our A to Z guide to epicurean wisdom. Use the keyword search
or the alphabetical index above to get to grips with culinary lingo.
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Glossary
Low GI FoodsLow gi - Glycemic Index or GI Index, is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels.
Low GI = 55 or less
Medium GI = 56 - 69
High GI = 70 or more
This is a value obtained by monitoring a persons blood sugar after eating the food. Your body will digest these foods slowly leaving you feeling full for longer and allowing you to eat less calories without feeling hungry. Adding a low GI food to a meal will lower the glycemic index of the whole meal.
Because the carb content of meat and fish is minimal, these foods have a low-GI value with minimal effect on blood glucose levels.
Below foods that do contain carbs, but are slow-release carbs, ie good carbs or low-gi foods.
Frozen Green Peas 39
Frozen Sweet Corn 47
Raw Carrots 16
Boiled Carrots 41
Eggplant/Aubergine 15
Broccoli 10
Cauliflower 15
Cabbage 10
Mushrooms 10
Tomatoes 15
Chillies 10
Peppers, all varieties 15
Onions 10
Artichoke 15
Asparagus 15
Celery 15
Cucumber 15
Green beans 15
Lettuce, all varieties 15
Snow peas 15
Spinach 15
Young summer squash 15
Zucchini 15
Sweet potato 54
Rolled Oats 51
Soya and Linseed 36
Wholegrain Pumpernickel 46
Heavy Mixed Grain bread 45
Dense Whole Wheat bread 49
Sourdough Rye bread 48
Sourdough Wheat 54
Hummus 6
Wholewheat pittas 52
Peanuts 13
Walnuts 15
Cashew Nuts 25
Brown Rice 50
Pearled Barley 22
Sweet potato 48
Wheat tortilla 30
Soya beans, boiled 16
Butter Beans 36
Chick Peas 42
Peas, dried 22
Haricot/Navy Beans 31
Lentils, Red 21
Lentils, Green 30
Kidney beans, boiled 29
Pinto Beans 45
Blackeyed Beans 50
Yellow Split Peas 32
Kidney beans, tinned 52
Lentils green, tinned 52
Whole milk 31
Skimmed milk 32
Chocolate milk 42
Sweetened yoghurt 33
Yogurt low-fat (sweetened) 14
Artificially Sweetened Yoghurt 23
Custard 35
Soy Milk 44
Cherries 22
Plums 24
Grapefruit 25
Peaches 28
Peach, canned in natural juice 30
Apples 34
Pears 41
Dried Apricots 32
Grapes 43
Coconut 45
Coconut Milk 41
Kiwi Fruit 47
Oranges 40
Strawberries 40
Prunes 29
Grapefruit 25
Kiwi fruit 53
Bananas 54
Apricots (dried) 31
Macaroni 45
Spaghetti, protein enriched 27
Fettuccine 32
Vermicelli 35
Spaghetti, whole wheat 37
Ravioli, meat filled 39
Orange juice 52
Apple juice 41
Wheat kernels 41
Spaghetti, white 41
Carrot juice 45
Pineapple juice 46
Grapefruit juice 48
Multi grain bread 48
Jams and marmalades 49