Glycemic index is a measure of how much blood sugar stress a food creates. Controlling blood sugar is one of the key pillars in a successful anti-aging diet. High blood sugar is a direct reflection of high sugar intake. Knowing what foods you should eat, that is low in sugar is important. Getting to know the Glycemic Index table is an important step in eating for optimum blood sugar stabilization.
Blood glucose levels play a huge role in those who suffer from Adrenal Fatigue. A classic sign that you may be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue is if you are hypoglycemic. Hypoglycemia is when you have low blood sugar levels in your body. Hypoglycemia has symptoms that can include: nausea, dizziness, memory loss, jitters and lethargy, among other things. It is important to regulate your blood sugar. It is quite important to regulate it when you dealing with AF which is why this glycemic index table is such a vital tool. If you can start to understand glucose levels in the foods you eat and drink, you can better regulate your glucose levels in your body and help maintain it more effectively.
The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress ResponseSM system shows how stress affects systems and organs in a correlating pattern. If one system is affected multiple systems can suffer. The NEM Stress Response model shows that as stress and fatigue increases hypoglycemia is more prominent and symptoms can intensify and can affect your brain, liver, kidneys and cardiovascular system, as well as, other organs and systems if not treated. A weak metabolic state will cause glucose levels in your body to become imbalanced. In order to regulate stress you have to maintain your blood sugar level. Using a glycemic index table may help you with that. However, it shouldn’t be the only thing you rely on. If you are struggling to maintain your glucose levels you should talk to a nutritionist or a specialist. You should never try to self treat yourself without consulting specialist. Hypoglycemia is a serious condition that will cause a wide range of problems to various body systems, functions and organs.
Here is a table of common foods and their glycemic index. To reduce blood sugar and increase ability of handling stress, concentrate on foods with an index at or below 75. This will help create a more even flow of glucose into the blood. If you are taking high glycemic index foods like white bread, always try to mix it up low glycemic index food. If foods are mixed, the resulting index will be between the high and low values.
Here is a list of common food products and their actual GI values. These numbers use Glucose as a baseline, which is given a GI of 100. All the other values are relative to glucose.
Recommended: GI < 60 Avoid: GI > 60 Diabetes or hypoglycemia: avoid GI > 50 |
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Glycemic Index Table | |||||||
Legumes | Grains | Pastas | Bread Products | ||||
Baked Beans, canned | 68 | Barley, pearled | 25 | Angel Hair | 45 | Bagel | 72 |
Black Beans | 30 | Buckwheat (kasha) | 54 | Bean Threads | 26 | French Bread | 96 |
Black Eyed Peas | 42 | Bulgar | 47 | Gnocchi | 67 | Kaiser Roll | 73 |
Butter Beans | 31 | Couscous | 65 | Pastas, brown rice | 92 | Melba Toast | 71 |
Chick Peas | 33 | Cornmeal | 68 | Pastas, refined | 65 | Pita Bread | 58 |
Chick Peas, canned | 42 | Millet | 71 | Pastas, whole grain | 45 | Pumpernickel Bread | 49 |
Fava Beans | 80 | Rice, brown | 56 | Star Pastina | 38 | Rye Bread | 64 |
Kidney Beans | 30 | Rice, instant | 85 - 91 | Vermicelli | 35 | Rye Bread, whole | 50 |
Kidney Beans, canned | 52 | Rice, white | 70 | Snacks, Misc. | Stuffing | 75 | |
Lentils, green | 30 | Crackers | Corn Chips | 70 | Tortilla, corn | 70 | |
Lentils, red | 25 | Graham Crackers | 74 | Fried Pork Rinds | OK | Waffles | 76 |
Lima, baby, frozen | 32 | Rice Cakes | 77 | Olives | OK | White Bread | 95 |
Pinto Beans | 39 | Rye Crispbread | 67 | Peanuts | 10 | Whole Wheat Bread | 75 |
Soy Beans | 18 | Stoned Wheat Thins | 68 | Peanut M&M's | 32 | Fruits | |
Split Peas | 32 | Water Crackers | 72 | Popcorn | 56 | Apple | 39 |
Dairy Products | Cereals | Potato Chips | 55 | Apple Juice | 41 | ||
Ice Cream, regular | 61 | All Bran | 43 | Pretzels | 82 | Apricots, dried | 35 |
Ice Cream, low-fat | 50 | Bran Chex | 59 | Rice Cakes | 77 | Bananas, ripe | 60 |
Milk, regular | 27 | Cheerios | 75 | Rich Tea Cookies | 56 | Cantaloupe | 65 |
Milk, skim | 32 | Corn Bran | 75 | Vanilla Wafers | 77 | Cherries | 23 |
Yogurt, sugar | 33 | Corn Chex | 83 | Vegetables | Grapefruit | 25 | |
Yogurt, aspartame | 14 | Cornflakes | 84 | All Green Vegetables | 0 - 30 | Grapefruit Juice | 49 |
Cream of Wheat | 71 | Bean Sprouts | <50 | Grapes | 46 | ||
Grapenuts | 68 | Beets | 64 | Kiwi | 52 | ||
Life | 66 | Carrots | 71 - 92 | Mango | 56 | ||
Mueslix | 60 | Cauliflower | <50 | Orange | 42 | ||
Nutri Grain | 66 | Corn | 58 | Orange Juice | 51 | ||
Oat Bran | 55 | Eggplant | <50 | Papaya | 58 | ||
Oatmeal, regular | 53 | All onions | <50 | Peach | 35 | ||
Oatmeal, quick | 66 | Parsnips | 97 | Pear | 35 | ||
Puffed Wheat | 74 | Peppers | <50 | Pineapple | 66 | ||
Puffed Rice | 90 | Potato, russet (baked) | 90 | Pineapple Juice | 43 | ||
Rice Chex | 89 | Potato, instant mashed | 83 | Plum | 29 | ||
Rice Krispies | 82 | Potato, fresh mashed | 73 | Raisins | 64 | ||
Shredded Wheat | 69 | Potato, new, boiled | 57 | Strawberries | 32 | ||
Special K | 54 | Potato, french fries | 75 | Watermelon | 74 | ||
Total | 76 | Radishes | <50 | ||||
Sauerkraut | <50 | ||||||
Sweet Potato | 54 | ||||||
Tomato | 38 | ||||||
Water Chestnuts | <50 | ||||||
Yams | 51 | ||||||
Yellow Squash | <50 |
Eating for adrenal fatigue recovery isn't just about avoiding certain foods—it's about choosing the right ones that can stabilize your blood sugar and support your body's natural healing process. The glycemic index (GI) table is a powerful tool to help you make informed choices that maintain steady energy levels and reduce stress on your adrenals. By incorporating low-GI foods and balanced meals into your daily routine, you can nourish your body, promote adrenal recovery, and enhance overall well-being.
Ready to take control of your adrenal health and learn how to eat for recovery? Our experts are here to help! Call us today at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consultation and start your journey to adrenal fatigue recovery with personalized guidance and support. Don't wait—your path to better health starts with one simple call!
D.J.A. Jenkins et. al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 34, 1981: Glycemic Index of 1200 foods - https://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm