The glycemic index is used to determine how quickly foods that contain carbohydrates raise blood sugar in the body. The index uses a scale of 0-100 with 100 being for foods that cause the fastest rise in blood sugar and 0 being no rise. The index helps people distinguish between slower digesting carbohydrates (the beneficial or good foods) and the faster-digesting carbs (bad foods). Foods with scores of 55 or below are considered low-glycemic index foods, 56 to 69 are considered intermediate, and 70 or greater are considered high.
The glycemic index was created to help diabetics determine which foods would adversely impact their blood sugar so that they could better manage their disease. By eating low-glycemic foods, the body requires less insulin and blood sugar levels stay in check.
The good news for cottage cheese lovers that are concerned with the glycemic index is that it is a very low-glycemic food. It is a slow sugar release food that won’t rapidly increase insulin. It is natural relatively low in carbs for many products. In fact, the American Diabetes Association features many recipes that involve cottage cheese as an ingredient. For many with diabetes, cottage cheese can be an acceptable food choice.
