Glycemic Index

The glycemic index ranks foods based on how quickly they raise your blood sugar levels after eating.

High GI foods are very easily broken down into glucose. Glucose is the defining standard and has a GI value of 100. 

When glucose triggers insulin release from the pancreas, it also causes the release of leptin and ghrelin. Leptin suppresses appetite, while ghrelin increases it. Foods with a lower glycemic index (GI), like whole grains, proteins, and those low in glucose, are believed to suppress ghrelin, helping to regulate satiety. 

Barley has the lowest GI among grains, scoring 28. Millets have a GI ranging from 54 to 68, including Foxtail Millet (Italian Millet, Kangni/Kakum in Hindi), Pearl Millet (Bajra in Hindi), and Finger Millet (Ragi/Nachni in Hindi). Basmati rice has a GI of 50 to 58, making it a low to medium GI food. Brown rice scores 66, and white rice 72. 

Avocados have an insulin index of 6. Mangoes have a GI between 51 and 60. Low-GI foods include green vegetables, raw carrots, kidney beans, chickpeas, and lentils.

Consistently high insulin levels in the blood can increase the risk of various diseases. This makes the impact of food on insulin secretion an important factor in managing and preventing metabolic conditions like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. The higher the insulin index of the food, the more insulin the body produces as a response. Foods with lower insulinemic indices are recommended as part of a healthy diet, to help reduce risk of developing metabolic syndromes. 

77 million Indians over the age of 18 suffer from diabetes (Type 2) while 25 million are in prediabetes stage.