Low glycemic index foods or snack items keep one’s blood insulin levels stable while the body retains nutrients and uses carbohydrates/sugars as energy. Calories from high glycemic foods are stored as fat - who wants that?!

New research and knowledge surrounds us and is constantly changing with new discoveries. Domaine Santé knows how difficult it can be to apply new and old info to your lives so we wanted to give you a trusted resource to learn from and apply to your daily habits. Every couple weeks, our blog will dive into the depths of nutrition and everything sweet. On the journey to healthy, we are here to help guide your every step!

What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index, or your new best friend, literally measures how much energy you'll have after eating certain foods. Following a low glycemic diet is one of the best ways to nourish your body with nutrient-rich food. So what is the glycemic index?

Simple. The Glycemic Index, or GI index, is a scale of 0-100 (0 being the lowest and most nutritious, 100 being the highest and not preferable) that measures how a food’s carbohydrates affect one’s blood sugar level after eating. Essentially, the glycemic index of foods indicate how its glucose/carbohydrates are digested by the body. A low glycemic food contains carbs that are slowly processed and absorbed by the body, prolonging energy levels and preventing that post-meal crash (a good thing) - these rank at 55 or less. High glycemic foods hold a GI above 70 and quickly spark a rise in blood sugar, followed by a sharp decline. So one suddenly has tons of energy for a very short time before fatigue sets in.

High glycemic food tend to immediately suppress a person's hunger for a few moments until they are hungry again and must eat, creating a constant cycle of eating and snacking often throughout the day. AKA crashing and burning. Make the switch now! Low GI foods fill you up for longer and create long-lasting energy.

Low glycemic foods maintain a stable blood sugar level. Granulated sugar is the top tier of the gi scale, at an 100. But don't let that fool you because sushi rice is actually over 100 on the index! Watch out for deceptive foods!

Why Does Practicing Healthy Glycemic Habits Matter?

Engaging in a low glycemic diet automatically reduces one’s consumption of processed, unhealthy foods. Because such foods are full of artificial sweeteners, chemicals, preservatives, and additives, calorie and sugar content increases which raises the GI level. In return, indulging in these items guarantees consumption of unnecessary calories while these carbohydrates are stored and maintained as body fat. Who has time for that! Carbs which come from low glycemic foods are nutrient rich. These encourage a fully tummy, fast metabolism, and complete absorption of fiber and nutrients.

Most importantly, we should do our best improve our glycemic load. The index measures precisely 50 grams of a food while the load measures the glycemic level of an specified portion size or complete dish. Meals fostering a low glycemic diet feature food that is grown and eaten with no or small modifications to their primary form, just like our Grape Nectars!

High Glycemic Foods vs. Low Glycemic Foods

Familiarizing yourself with a glycemic index food list is easy with a glycemic index chart. For example, this tells us that the sweet potato glycemic index is 61 and the banana glycemic index is 54. We can also determine low glycemic fruits and low glycemic vegetables by seeking out fruits and veggies with a low index number.

One of our favorite things about living in the 21st century is how accessible food is! Not only accessible, but the world offers plenty of options and alternatives to whatever your diet requires. Domaine Santé hopped on board and is here to offer you natural sweetener that is the lowest of all sugars on the glycemic index - just a 24!

Sugars & their GI

• Grape Nectar: 24
• Agave Nectar: 34
• Coconut Sugar: 35
• Honey: 50
• Maple Syrup: 54
• Dates: 100

By substituting commercial sugars with Grape Nectar, GI load decreases. Plus, a healthy portion of natural antioxidants accompanies the nectar due to the wine grapes used to make them. Monitoring sugar intake is vital to maintaining a low glycemic diet for that is exactly what the GI measures. A simple transition to Grape Nectar reduces sugar intake and will help your digestive system yearn for nutrient-dense foods. Thus, cravings for high glycemic foods will head out the door in no time. We're into it!

For a quick and easy meal with a very low glycemic load, try our Blanc and Beans Stir Fry. High in protein, a very flavorful #DinnerParty dish that is also vegan!

Practicing a Low Glycemic Diet

Practicing a low glycemic diet has never been easier. These days what you can't buy in a grocery store is available at the farmers market or online! Choosing natural foods that have been very minimally processed and do not contain unnecessary additives is your best move to a low index lifestyle. By swapping processed, high glycemic foods with those that maximize your energy and are pure forms of themselves, following a low glycemic diet will come naturally, especially when Grape Nectar is here to make the transition even sweeter!

who says people are the only ones who like Grape Nectar?

Get your Grape Nectar today!