Glycemic index of honey. Honey with diabetes mellitus

Glycemic index of honey depends on the grade of the product of beekeeping and the percentage content of sucrose and fructose in it. Know the glycemic index (GI) of foods recommended to all people with diabetes or prone to this disease. However, many fans of a healthy lifestyle take this conditional index into account when making the menu, it is also recommended to take it into account for people with increased body weight.

What is the glycemic index?

This is an indicator that determines the increase in blood sugar after taking a particular carbohydrate product. The glycemic index of glucose is adopted for the standard, which is 100 units. All vegetables, fruits, beans, cereals, flour products have their GI. What does it mean? For example, after taking a product with a glycemic index of 40 units, the body will assimilate 40% of carbohydrates in the form of glucose.

There are products with a high glycemic index - more than 50 units. This sweets, baked pastries, rice, bread, boiled and baked potatoes, raisins, bananas. After their intake, there is a rapid saturation, but soon the person again feels hungry. The fact that the work includes insulin - a hormone, the main function of which is to reduce blood glucose and its entry into the cells of the body. Excess glucose insulin processes into fatty deposits.

People with diabetes are usually aware of the glycemic index of carbohydrate-containing foods and try to make a menu with this indicator. However, many of them refuse honey, considering him a provocateur. Is it really?

Glycemic index of honey

Honey contains two carbohydrate components - glucose and fructose. The fructose index is only 19, and glucose, as noted earlier, is 100 units. Consequently, the more fructose is in the product, the lower the glycemic index of honey. Conversely, increasing the amount of glucose guarantees a high GI.

It is believed that honey has a high GI. Depending on the medon, it varies from 30 to 90. The average glycemic index of honey is 50-70 units. GI varies depending on a number of factors:

• Places of collection;
• The naturalness of the product itself;
• Storage conditions;
• Type of honey;
• Geography of the area.

Honey natural

Many beekeepers dissemble and feed bees with sugar syrup, jam or other sweets. In this case, his GI increases and can reach 100 units. Glycemic index of natural honey is always lower than falsified analogue. A large role is played by the honey plants, from which the healing nectar is collected.

Below is a table where the glycemic index of honey collected from different honey plants is indicated.

As you can see from the table, there is honey with a low glycemic index - it is the nectar of pine, acacia, eucalyptus. Such varieties as linden, heather, chestnut have average GI indicators.

Fake honey

At the end of August and in September, there are fairs where honey of different varieties is sold. If you care about your health, you should know how to buy a natural product without additives.

Each variety has its own color, characteristic odor, crystallization time. Of course, it is difficult for an inexperienced person to understand all these subtleties, but the main differences are worth knowing. For example, acacia honey is almost transparent, but becomes white when crystallized. Lime cultivar is preserved for a long time, liquid, buckwheat has a characteristic aroma and a brownish color.

Maturity of the product matters. Bees, after they made honey, wait for evaporation of excess moisture, supply the product with substances that do not allow it to ferment. Some unscrupulous beekeepers seek to benefit as quickly as possible, so they pump out honey early. Such a product has an excess of moisture, quickly deteriorates, its medicinal properties decrease. Mature honey is thick, slowly drains over the walls of the dishes, does not stretch behind the spoon.

Remember: the glycemic index of a substandard product becomes high and approaches 100!

GI of sugar

Glycemic index of honey and sugar is approximately the same - 70 units, however, sugar does not contain biologically active substances, microelements and vitamins present in honey. Therefore, nutritionists recommend giving preference to the product of beekeeping. If you want a sweet, eat 1-2 teaspoons of honey. From such a meal is not gaining excess weight, and the need for sweet will be satisfied.

If you are used to putting a little sugar in your tea and can not give up the habit, better choose a brown cane product. Its glycemic index is lower and is 55 units.

Honey and diabetes

When a severe form of the disease from a useful nectar should be abandoned, when the pancreas is almost unable to produce insulin. But why is there a debate in the media about the benefits of honey in diabetes mellitus? Many "healers" even advise him to use in unlimited quantities. The fact that honey beneficially affects the nervous system, which is important for diabetics, positively affects the work of the heart muscle, relieves of insomnia.

Endocrinologists are allowed to eat a day not more than 1-2 teaspoons of honey, the first portion should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach, and the second one - during the day. With compensated diabetes, such a dosage will not cause harm to health. It is recommended to choose those grades that have a low GI - pine or acacia.

Despite the approximately identical glycemic index of honey and sugar, the indicators of their usefulness differ significantly. To prevent an increase in blood glucose, buy a quality product of beekeeping and do not forget about the sense of proportion.