Most people know that bread is a key source of carbohydrates, which means its glycemic index can be measured. So what is the glycemic index of each type of bread? Let's find out.
Bread is an important food that provides carbohydrates, the nutrients that give the body energy. When we eat bread or other carbohydrate foods, the body absorbs them and converts them into blood sugar, and how quickly this happens affects our health. If carbohydrates break down quickly during digestion, glucose floods into the bloodstream, which is bad for health and raises the risk of diabetes, obesity and weight gain. We should therefore choose bread and other carbohydrate foods that release sugar into the bloodstream gradually, and this can be measured using the glycemic index.
What Is the Glycemic Index?
The glycemic index, or simply GI, measures the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar, showing how much blood sugar rises 1–2 hours after eating the food being tested. It is measured from blood sugar levels after eating a portion containing about 50 g of carbohydrate, compared with glucose or white bread as the reference value of 100 (comparing equal amounts of carbohydrate, gram for gram).
If a food's carbohydrates break down quickly during digestion and send glucose rapidly into the bloodstream, that food has a high GI. If its carbohydrates break down slowly and release glucose steadily into the circulation, the food has a low GI, producing a slower blood sugar response that is better for your health.
Glycemic Index Levels
Foods can be grouped into three GI levels based on their measured values:
- Low GI: a GI of 55 or less
- Medium GI: a GI of 56–75
- High GI: a GI above 75
The Glycemic Index of Different Breads
According to weightlossresources.co.uk, common breads fall into the three GI levels as follows:
1. Low GI Breads
- Tortilla wraps: GI 30
- Barley brown bread: GI 40
- Sourdough bread: GI 54
2. Medium GI Breads
- Granary bread: GI 62
- Wholemeal pitta bread: GI 63
- Croissant: GI 67
- White pitta bread: GI 67
3. High GI Breads
- Soda bread: GI 70
- White bread: GI 72
- Ciabatta: GI 72
- Crackerbread: GI 85
The higher a bread's glycemic index, the more it raises blood sugar, increasing the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, clogged arteries and heart disease. For good health, it is best to avoid high-GI breads as much as possible.
