Not all carbohydrate foods are created equal, in fact they behave quite differently in our bodies. The Glycemic Index (GI) describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels.

Choosing low GI carbs – the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels – is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.

On a scale where a GI of 70 and higher is considered high GI, and 55 and lower is low GI, Granola Gourmet’s Energy Bars (singles)  had Glycemic Index values of only 19 to 25.

*Granola Gourmet Ingredients

Low Glycemic Index Ratings

Ingredient                                Rating

      Rolled Oats Organic (1)           55

      Raw Sunflower Seeds Organic (1)   10

      Sliced Almonds (1)                10

      Flax Seeds Organic (1)             5

      Agave Organic (2)                 11

      Honey (3)                         55

      Olive Oil (1)                     0

      Sources:

      (1) Vital Health Zone

      (2) Glycemic Index

      (3) Carbs-Information

GLYCEMIC INDEX RESOURCES

Introduction to the Glycemic Index - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Harvard University;  see what they all have to say and information from studies.

The Home of the Glycemic Index - For everything you want to know about the GI, start here.

Wikipedia’s entry about Glycemic Index

Oregon State University- Micronutrient Information Center, Research for Optimum Health. Low-Glycemic Index diets appear to improve the overall blood glucose control in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). A meta-analysis of 14 randomized controlled trials that included 356 diabetic patients found that low-glycemic index diets improved short-term and long-term control of blood glucose levels.

University of Toronto- University Professor, Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Metabolism, Scientist,  David Jenkins is credited with developing the concept of the Glycemic Index as a way of explaining the way in which dietary carbohydrate impacts blood sugar. His first paper on the subject appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1981. Jenkins went on to author at least 15 more clinical studies on the effects of the Glycemic Index.