Eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day. This message hammered home for years has made its way, so that it is now anchored in our minds. However, this concept is sometimes vague. For example with regard to fruit. Several questions arise. And among them, that of their glycemic index. To return to this concept, remember that it is the ability of a food to raise blood sugar levels. Each food has a number that corresponds to this faculty of elevation. White sugar has a glycemic index of 100, which is the highest.
You should know that our blood sugar level (or blood sugar) should not experience sudden variations with incessant ups and downs. Each time we ingest a food with a high glycemic index, our body experiences a spike in blood sugar and secretes insulin, the hormone responsible for managing this influx of sugar. If the latter is not burned or used by our body, it is transformed into fat. Which leads to overweight. However, overweight is the source of diseases such as diabetes or liver damage, for example.
The glycemic index of fruits is very variable. The ideal is to consume them regularly, but choosing those that have a lesser ability to raise blood sugar.. “The champions in this area are red fruits, except cherries whose sugar level remains high. But you can easily enjoy strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, currants for example” recommends Véronique Liesse, dietician nutritionist in Monaco. Their glycemic index is 25, which is very low. We should therefore not hesitate to consume them pure or in white cheeses or yogurts. Another fruit to consume without risk for its glycemia, the grapefruit which has the same glycemic index. “These fruits also contain a lot of vitamin C, good for the skin, and to fight against fatigue,” specifies the expert. Apples, clementines, mandarins and passion fruit come in second place. They are around 30/38. “They remain interesting because they are low in calories with a still reasonable glycemic index” adds the nutritionist. A salad of these fruits for dessert will therefore guarantee stable blood sugar levels. However, beware of juices! A Juice, whatever it is, has a higher glycemic index than the fruit itselfsince we have eliminated the fibers (which slow down the absorption of sugar) and we keep the fructose (therefore the sugar of the fruits). So always prefer whole fruits, and banish juices, even homemade juices !
Thanks to Véronique Liesse, dietitian nutritionist in Monaco.
