It can be tricky, when you're trying to eat healthily, to keep up with all of the latest buzzwords and acronyms. But don't worry. At Sunsweet, we make it our business to stay ahead in the healthy-eating game.
Ever wondered just what GI means, for example?
Well, in a nutshell, GI – the glycaemic index - measures the effects of carbohydrates on the body's blood sugar. Carbs that are rapidly broken down, during digestion, rapidly release glucose into the bloodstream. And these carbs have a high GI. Carbs that are broken down more gradually, release glucose more gradually and these carbs have a low GI.
Recent studies from Harvard School of Public Health indicate that the risks of diseases such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease are strongly related to the GI of the overall diet.
What’s recommended?
Experts recommend that - to maintain weight and keep blood sugar levels steady - we aim for a diet with an overall GI of 50 or less.
And so sweet and tasty snacks are out, right? Not so, happily. In fact, Sunsweet prunes make an excellent choice. Harvard Medical School found that the GI of pitted prunes is around 29 making them a low-GI fruit that doesn't dramatically affect blood sugar and insulin levels. Excellent news!
