Glycemic index of millet

For those questions and discussions on the McDougall program that don’t seem to fit in any other forum.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, John McDougall, carolve, Heather McDougall

Glycemic index of millet

Postby Den32 » Fri Apr 20, 2012 7:17 am

I am trying to replace white rice with other unprocessed and whole starches that could digest best for me due to my digestive problems. I found that pearl millet digests quite good when correctly prepared: soaked for 24h then boiled for 15 minutes.

However after 700 calorie millet meal with some vegetables I found myself unstable a bit and was hungry 2h after a meal again. Could it be due to high glycemic index of millet which is 71, white basmati rice 58? Do you know any trusted sources that could confirm the glycemic index of boiled pearl millet?
So, would it be safe to base my daily meals on millet notwithstanding its high GI?
Any advice welcome. :)
Den32
 
Posts: 63
Joined: Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:13 pm
Location: Riga,Latvia

Re: Glycemic index of millet

Postby Gramma Jackie » Fri Apr 20, 2012 1:20 pm

Den32 wrote:I am trying to replace white rice with other unprocessed and whole starches that could digest best for me due to my digestive problems. I found that pearl millet digests quite good when correctly prepared: soaked for 24h then boiled for 15 minutes.

However after 700 calorie millet meal with some vegetables I found myself unstable a bit and was hungry 2h after a meal again. Could it be due to high glycemic index of millet which is 71, white basmati rice 58? Do you know any trusted sources that could confirm the glycemic index of boiled pearl millet?
So, would it be safe to base my daily meals on millet notwithstanding its high GI?
Any advice welcome. :)


Here is what Dr. McDougall says about the glycemic index:

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/ ... ycemic.htm

He also talks about it in his new book, The Starch Solution.

p.s. I eat it all the time with no problems as far as my weight or triglycerides are concerned. I make porridge with it as well as making cheese substitute using millet. Dr. McDougall also has a recipe for millet butter.
Gramma Jackie
 

Re: Glycemic index of millet

Postby f1jim » Fri Apr 20, 2012 9:03 pm

I strongly recommend brown rice. It didn't take long before I found the type of brown rice that suits my preferences for taste and texture. Now I can't imagine ever going back to the tasteless wallpaper taste of white rice. My now refocused taste buds crave the brown rice flavor. There are so many brown rice varieties and you get the fun of trying as many as you like. Most are available in small packages till you find one or two that hit the spot.
f1jim
While adopting this diet and lifestyle program I have reversed my heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and lost 54 lbs. You can follow my story at https://www.drmcdougall.com/james-brown/
User avatar
f1jim
 
Posts: 11349
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:45 pm
Location: Pacifica, CA

Re: Glycemic index of millet

Postby stoumi » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:35 am

I too have been looking for "alternatives" for grains. I just recently created a Black Bean & Millet Salad. It probably would have worked just as well with brown rice. As Jim said, I do find the rice more filling that the millet. Thankfully I enjoy eating rice, but also like making recipes using something other than rice.
User avatar
stoumi
 
Posts: 985
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2011 1:30 pm
Location: Oakley, CA

Re: Glycemic index of millet

Postby AlwaysAgnes » Sat Apr 21, 2012 12:04 pm

Den32 wrote:I am trying to replace white rice with other unprocessed and whole starches that could digest best for me due to my digestive problems. I found that pearl millet digests quite good when correctly prepared: soaked for 24h then boiled for 15 minutes.

However after 700 calorie millet meal with some vegetables I found myself unstable a bit and was hungry 2h after a meal again. Could it be due to high glycemic index of millet which is 71, white basmati rice 58? Do you know any trusted sources that could confirm the glycemic index of boiled pearl millet?
So, would it be safe to base my daily meals on millet notwithstanding its high GI?
Any advice welcome. :)



The glycemic load of the whole meal might be more important than the glycemic index of one its components. There's some info on that at the first link here:

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/f ... /gigl.html
http://www.glycemicindex.com/

You can find and compare foods at the second link. It appears that millet carries a bit higher glycemic load than does white basmati (or at least than Uncle Ben's white basmati, which has 23 listed as its glycemic load). The glycemic load listed for boiled millet is 26. The GI for that Uncle Ben's basmati is listed at 60. The GI of other white basmatis found listed here varies between 43 and 69. Their glycemic loads vary between 15 and 28.

I don't pay much attention to the glycemic index because the numbers don't reflect how people eat in real life. Food combinations, cooking methods and such. Real life has so many variables. Science experiments in the lab are more precise. Finding the foods that fit or work for each of us can be a chore and an adventure.

As for being hungry after 2 hours, I think many people find they become grazers when they switch to McDougall or plant-based. While the starch is certainly filling, I think foods just digest quicker and more easily without the meat, dairy and fat. Maybe a little more fiber from vegetables and beans or a mix of grains would make your millet meal stay with you longer? I don't know. (I read somewhere that millet takes 3 or 3.5 hours to digest. I don't know if that's true, and if it is I would think there have to be variables for individuals.) Technically, millet is a seed, though we eat it like a grain. The fiber content is lower than some grains; it has less than 3g fiber per cup. Maybe you can add a snack when you're feeling unstable (I'm not sure what "unstable" means, but it sounds like you mean low blood sugar).

White basmati is our favorite rice in Agnesville. It's the only one everyone will eat. :duh:

Sorry if I rambled. I do that. I hope you find your answers.
You don't have to wait to be happy.
AlwaysAgnes
 
Posts: 3436
Joined: Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:45 pm


Return to The Lounge

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 18 guests



Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.