Glycemic Index - Copacabana Runners

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What to eat before and after the workout? The glycemic index can be a great guide to answer this question. This index is a numerical system of measuring how fast a carbohydrate triggers a rise in circulating blood sugar -- the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar response. So a low G.I. food will cause a small rise, while a high G.I. food will trigger a dramatic spike.

And how can the glycemic index help runners to choose what foods eat after and before the training?

Before the training you should choose low G.I. foods because they provide energy for a long period of time. After the training, go for high G.I. foods that will give you energy quickly to recover from the workout.

See below some G.I. foods list. To get the complete list, visit: www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm

Table - Glycemic Index (glucose=100):

Low G.I. foods	GI	moderated G.I. foods	GI	High G.I. foods	GI
Peanut	15	Peach, fresh	42	Pizza, cheese	60
Soy	18	Orange	44	Ice cream	61
Cherries	22	Macaroni	45	Raisins	64
Lentils	29	Rice, instant, boiled 1 min	46	Beets	64
Black beans	30	Grapes	46	Black bean soup	64
Apricots, dried	31	Rice, parboiled	48	Pineapple	66
Fettuccine	32	Tortellini, cheese	50	Gnocchi	67
Yogurt	36	Yam	51	Croissant	67
Spaghetti, boiled 5 min	36	Kiwi	53	Potato mashed	70
Pear, fresh	37	Banana	54	Wheat bread, white	71
Apple	38	Popcorn	55	Watermelon	72
Tomato Soup	38	Mango	56	Pumpkin	75
Carrots, cooked	39	Apricots, fresh	57	Waffles	76
Ravioli, durum, meat filled	39	Rice, white	58	Corn flakes	83

This article has informational purpose and isn't a substitute for professional advice.

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