03.Low glycaemic index
The claims
- “Low GI for sustained energy.”
- TIP TOP Up Energi
- “For slow energy release and increased feeling of fullness.”
- BURGEN Mixed Grain
- “Digested slowly to give sustained energy.”
- MOORES Rye and Wholegrain Low GI
- “The carbohydrate in [COUNTRY LIFE BAKERY] Performax (GI 38) is digested and absorbed gradually in contrast to the rapid absorption of regular wholemeal breads (GI 77).”
- “It’s the low GI that really satisfies, with the sustained energy to help your kids work and play.”
- WONDER WHITE Low GI
The facts
Most of these claims are little more than marketing hype.
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes there’s growing evidence that you should be considering GI as a factor in making healthy food choices, but for generally healthy people research hasn’t yet shown significant health benefits.
Low GI doesn’t necessarily mean ‘healthy’: potato crisps have a low GI and so does chocolate cake.
The verdict
If you’re concerned about GI, you might just as well buy ordinary multigrain bread — it has a lower GI than most of the brands of bread we found making special GI claims.