Kumara's

[Varven]

Are they low or high GI... ?

[Pseudonym]

Aha! You've found my favourite pet peeve! :grin:

I know a lot of bodybuilders in NZ use kumaras in a pre-comp diet, thinking they have a lower GI than potatoes do. As far as I can tell, that's wrong.

It's easy to see where the mistake occurred... According to http://www.glycemicindex.com the standard NZ Nardine potato has a GI of 70, and the Canadian sweet potato is much lower with a GI of 44. So yes, up to that point, sweet potato is preferable.

Unfortunately, the Canadian sweet potato is not the same as our sweet potato (kumara). Both plants are Ipomoea batatas, but they must be different varieties, I think, because our kumara has a GI of 77 - higher than the standard potato.

I assume this rating is for our common kumara - red/purple skin, yellow flesh. I don't know how the other varieties (golden kumara, orange kumara, etc) compare.

Now the disclaimer: this is just what I've found from my own research. I may be wrong - please feel free to correct me if this is the case!

[Varven]

Pseudo, I reached the same conclusion with a different test.

The unique varven taste test: Kumaras taste sweeter than potatoes, therefore they must have a higher GI.

Ok if you had to choose between Wholemeal bread, potatoe, white rice and brown rice as a carb source for the day.. what would your choise be ?

Furthermore, is there a CONSIDERABLE difference between the above mentioned items in terms of GI ?

i..e is eating one over the other likely to have quite a huge impact on my body in terms of energy release ??

Look forward to all your input, Im not very good at this diet thing...

[2guns]

eating both is good imo.