Glycemic Index (گلایسمیک انڈیکس - GI): 

The Secret Number That Can Help in Preventing Diabetes

Perhaps one of the most overlooked terms in nutrition, the Glycemic Index (GI) rarely gets talked about in Pakistan. Yet it could be one of the most important numbers for anyone trying to manage their blood sugar, lose weight, or simply eat smarter. 

The numbers around diabetes in Pakistan are scary because according to a 2024 study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), approximately 34.5 million adults in Pakistan are living with diabetes, with over 26.9% of cases remaining undiagnosed. That means millions of people could be walking around with diabetes right now without even knowing it.

But you do not have to be scared because the Glycemic Index is here to help you! It is the key to the door of a healthy diet. Famous Pakistani Actor, Fawad Khan also seems to understand this, as he has said:

“I've adopted a diet that minimises high glycemic index carbs, coupled with lean protein sources and a mix of vegetables.”

So today, let's learn and explore everything about it so that we can finally understand what it means for our health, how to use it in everyday meals and stop ourselves from becoming another statistic.

An Introduction to the Glycemic Index (گلایسمیک انڈیکس - GI) and its Importance

What is the Glycemic Index (GI)?

Simply put, the Glycemic Index (GI) is a scale from 0 to 100 that measures how quickly food will raise your blood sugar levels after you eat it.

The higher the Glycemic Index (GI) of a food, the more quickly it spikes your blood sugar. Foods with a GI of 70 or more (on the GI scale) will cause this rapid spike in blood sugar and thus, they should generally be avoided.

On the other hand, foods with a lower GI are digested and absorbed more slowly, leading to a steady rise in blood sugar instead of a sudden spike. These are usually foods with a GI below 55.

And foods with a GI between 55-70 approximately will result in a moderate in blood sugar. 

Why Does the Speed in Which Our Blood Sugar Rises Matter?

As you may have noticed, no matter the GI, all foods with carbohydrates will cause a rise in blood sugar, because that is inevitable. However, the difference between them is how quickly they will cause this rise. So why exactly does speed matter?

When you eat a high GI-food, your blood sugar shoots up fast. Our body will then quickly respond to this by releasing a large and urgent burst of insulin to bring it back down. However, the excess amount of insulin will cause our blood sugar to go down too much and too quickly. Over time, this rapid rise-and-crash cycle wears down our body's ability to regulate blood sugar efficiently, contributing to insulin resistance, pre-diabetes and eventually type 2 diabetes. And the short term consequence is that it leaves you feeling tired, hungry, or even shaky despite having eaten just an hour or two ago, which will lead you to crave more food and repeat and continue this deadly cycle.

Low-GI foods, on the other hand, release glucose into our bloodstream slowly and steadily which keeps our energy levels more stable and puts far less strain on our pancreas for an insulin response.

Thus, it is very important that we keep track of the Glycemic Index if we want to stay away from diabetes and keep ourselves continuously active.

Our Foods Categorized according to the Glycemic Index

Now that we have learnt what the Glycemic Index means and why it matters, let's look at which everyday foods have a high, medium or low GI.

A rule to follow is that foods that are high in sugar and refined carbohydrates tend to have a higher GI, while foods higher in fiber tend to have a lower GI.

Furthermore, it should be noted that how you cook a food can also change its Glycemic Index. Overcooking foods like rice, pasta, or roti breaks down their fiber and starch structure, making them digest faster and raising their GI. On the other hand, cooling cooked foods like rice or potatoes before eating allows them to form resistant starch, which digests more slowly and can actually lower their GI. So it is best to cook foods just until they're done (to avoid overcooking them).

Foods with a High Glycemic Index (70 or more)

Grains and Starches:

• White bread

• White rice (regular, not basmati)

• Cornflakes

• Instant oats

• Naan & Parathas (made from White Flour/Maida)

Vegetables & Fruits:

• Potatoes (boiled, baked, mashed or as french fries

• Watermelon

• Overripe bananas

• Dates

Sugary and Processed Foods:

• White sugar

• Honey

• Sugary soft drinks

• Candy/sweets (mithai0

• Cornstarch-based desserts (custard, etc.)

• Glucose biscuits

Foods with a Medium Glycemic Index (56-70)

Grains and Starches:

• Basmati rice (White)

• Brown rice

• Whole wheat bread

• Sweet corn

• Regular oats (rolled, not instant)

Fruits & Vegetables:

• Ripe Mangoes

• Raisins

• Grapes

• Papaya

• Fresh Figs

Miscellenous:

• Ice cream (regular)

• Sweet potato

• Pita Bread

Foods with a Low Glycemic Index (55 or Below)

Grains and Starches:

• Whole wheat roti (chapati)

• Foods made from Diabetic Flour

• Foods made from Multi-Grain Flour

• Foods made from Protein Flour

• Foods made from Barley Flour

• Bulgur wheat (daliya)

• Quinoa

• Brown basmati rice (in moderation)

Legumes:

• Chana (chickpeas)

• Chia Seeds

• Different Types of Daal such as Masoor Daal, Moong Daal and Urad Daal.

• Kidney Beans (rajma) and Soybeans

• Black-eyed peas (lobia)

Vegetables and Fruits:

• Most leafy greens (such as spinach and methi)

• Broccoli

• Cauliflower

• Cabbage

• Raw Carrots

• Bell peppers

• Cucumbers

• Tomatoes

• Bitter gourd (karela)

• Okra (bhindi)

• Eggplant (baingan)

• Almost all fruits (Apples, Pears, Oranges, Guava, Cherries, Peaches, Plums, Strawberries, Grapefruit and most berries)

Dairy & Protein:

• Milk (plain, unsweetened)

• Yogurt (plain, unsweetened)

• Eggs (technically 0 GI because it has no carbs)

• Chicken, meat, fish (0 GI since protein doesn't spike blood sugar)

• Nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts)

• Paneer

Diabetic Flour: Your First Step towards Preventing Diabetes and Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Diabetic flours are a great and seamless switch you can make from regular flour and subconsciously help lower your blood sugar levels. American actor and social activist Dick Gregory once said:

"People with high blood pressure, diabetes — those are conditions brought about by lifestyle. If you change the lifestyle, those conditions will leave."

So lets start changing our lifestyle by making small transitions such as these so that these conditions leave us alone as well!

What is Diabetic Flour and Why Use it?

Diabetic flours are a specially formulated flour blend which are designed to have a lower Glycemic Index than regular white or whole wheat flour we use. This makes it more suitable for people managing diabetes or blood sugar levels. However, it isn’t just suitable for people who are diabetic, it is a smarter choice for anyone looking to manage their blood sugar levels.

And don’t worry about your rotis tasting different or your pancakes having a different texture, because diabetic flour has the same taste, texture and usage as your regular flour. Making it a simple and easy switch without any compromises.

Where Can I Buy Diabetic Flour from in Pakistan?

If you are about to start a journey towards a healthy lifestyle, then why not pick Pakistan’s leading functional food brands: Reana Foods, where food meets lifestyle. 

Reana Food’s Organic+ Premium Diabetic Flour is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to start a healthy lifestyle. Reana Foods offers shipping all over Pakistan, such as Lahore, Karachi, Multan, Faisalabad, Okara, Sahiwal, Islamabad, and more. So no matter where you are, you can enjoy the health benefits of diabetic flour.

Reana Foods uses quality ingredients that you can trust and offers 1kg and 5kg options for consumers. So why wait? Start making healthy choices today!

Buy our 1kg pack here: https://reana.pk/products/organic-diabetic-flour-1000g

And our 5kg pack here: https://reana.pk/products/organic-diabetic-flour-5kg

What Makes Reana Food’s Diabetic Flour the Best

Our diabetic flour is made from high quality maize flour, black chickpeas flour, flaxseed, sesame, water melon seeds, guar gum, psyllium husk and black eyed beans.

All that goodness combined gives a Glycemic Index (GI) of just 34.64 and is high in fibre.

Benefits of Diabetic Flour

Due to our diabetic flour’s high fibre contents and a low GI, it will give your body all these benefits:

Helps You to Prevent and Manage Diabetes (Obviously!)

With a GI as low as 34.64, this flour causes a slow, steady rise in blood sugar, making it a genuinely useful tool for preventing pre-diabetes from progressing into type 2 diabetes, and for people already managing diabetes to keep their blood sugar more stable.

Supports Your Better Gut Health

With 19.5g of fiber per 100g, this flour is exceptionally high in dietary fiber, which feeds healthy gut bacteria, supports regular digestion, and helps prevent constipation.

Keeps You Fuller for Longer (Supports Weight Management) 

The combination of high fiber and strong protein content (17.8g per 100g) slows digestion, which means you feel satisfied for longer after meals. This can naturally reduce overeating and unnecessary snacking, making it a helpful ally for anyone trying to manage their weight.

Give You Steadier Energy Levels Throughout the Day

Away with feeling tired and lethargic all the time because this flour helps maintain more consistent energy levels instead of the fatigue or sudden hunger that often follows a high-GI meal.

The Nutritional Facts Breakdown

Reana Food’s Diabetic Flour has all the right ingredients in all the right quantities so that you can live a healthy, fit and energetic life.

Cooking Tips

Since we want to make the full use of our diabetic flour and ensure it is as effective as possible, it is important that we make sure of a few things:

• We Should Avoid Overcooking: Cooking rotis for too long or on very high heat can break down the fiber that's slowing digestion, reducing the flour's GI-lowering benefit.

• Don't Over-Knead or Over-Ferment the Dough: This can weaken the fiber structure that makes diabetic flour effective.

• Hydrate the Dough Properly: High-fiber flours often need more water and a longer resting time to hydrate fully; underhydrated dough may not deliver the same slow-digestion effect.

As mentioned before, diabetic flour can be used the same way as regular flour you already use at home. Let's go through the recipe for a regular roti we all know and love, now made from diabetic flour, to help you get started.

Diabetic Flour Roti Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups diabetic flour blend

• 0.8 cups warm water

• 0.5 teaspoons salt

• 1 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons extra diabetic flour, for dusting

STEPS

• Make the dough: Combine 2 cups diabetic flour blend and 0.5 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Add 0.8 cups of warm water gradually, kneading into a soft dough. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and knead again for 2-3 minutes until smooth.

• Rest the dough: Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest to make rolling easier.

• Roll the rotis: Divide into equal balls and roll each into a thin round, dusting with 2 tablespoons extra diabetic flour, for dusting as needed.

• Cook on the tawa: Heat a tawa on medium-high. Cook the roti until bubbles appear, then flip and cook the other side until light golden spots form.

FAQS

Is diabetic flour actually effective at controlling blood sugar?

Yes! Diabetic flour is genuinely effective because of its ingredients. It is a blend made with low-GI grains like barley, oats, and legumes which means they release glucose more slowly into the bloodstream.

Is diabetic flour only meant for diabetics?

Of course not! While it's especially helpful for managing diabetes, diabetic flour is a smart option for anyone wanting more stable blood sugar and energy levels throughout the day. 

Does diabetic flour taste different from regular flour?

Not drastically, you can use it to make the same rotis, parathas, and breads people already enjoy, just with a more blood-sugar-friendly composition. 

Does eating low-GI flour alone prevent diabetes?

No single food can prevent diabetes on its own, diabetes needs to be controlled through a combination of smart food choices. However, low-GI flour, such as diabetic flour is a very helpful and effective part of these smarter and healthier choices and is a perfect starting point for anyone who wants to start this lifestyle. 

What is the glycemic index of wheat flour? 

It depends on the type. Refined wheat flour (maida) has a high GI since it's stripped of fiber, while whole wheat flour falls in the medium range, generally around 60–69. Adding fiber-rich ingredients can lower this significantly. This is why Reana Food’s Diabetic Flour has an extremely low GI (34.64), due to its high fibre contents.

How is the Glycemic Index measured?

The answer to this is quite complicated but to put it simply, the GI is measured by having volunteers eat a portion of food containing exactly 50g of digestible carbohydrates, then tracking their blood sugar levels over the next two hours through blood samples. This response is compared to how the same people react to pure glucose, which is always scored 100. The test food's score is calculated relative to that glucose baseline, and results are averaged across multiple people to get a reliable number.

What is the Glycemic Index of rice?

It varies a lot depending on the type of rice. Regular white rice is high GI (70–90), while basmati rice is notably lower at 50–58 due to its high amylose starch content, which slows digestion. Brown rice sits around 50–55, and jasmine or sticky rice can be as high as 80 or more. For Pakistani diets, basmati is generally the smarter choice among common rice varieties.

What makes  Diabetic Flours effective? 

Diabetic Flours are considered “diabetic-friendly” because they are typically made from high-fiber, low-GI grains (such as  barley or multigrain blends) which digest more slowly and cause a gentler rise in blood sugar than refined atta or maida. Many diabetic flours can also include added protein or fiber which lower their glycemic response further. Overall, diabetic flours are just a step up from your regular flour!

Does my cooking method affect a food's Glycemic Index? 

Yes, significantly. Overcooking foods like pasta or rice can actually raise their GI. On the other hand, cooling cooked rice or potatoes before eating can actually lower their GI. Even small changes in preparation can shift a food from one GI category to another.

Is diabetes reversible? 

Type 1 diabetes is not reversible. However, type 2 diabetes, especially if caught early, during the pre-diabetes stage can often be managed or even put into remission through sustained lifestyle changes like a low-GI diet, weight management, and regular physical activity.