Low GI potato makes good headway in Australia

The first officially certified low GI potato has been a huge success in Australia.

Since its launch last year, consumers have bought more than 1,000 tonnes of Carisma - or approximately five million potatoes.

Naturally grown in Australia, Carisma is a great tasting potato with a Glycemic Index (GI) of 55 which is around 30 per cent lower than other potatoes.

Its low GI qualities were uncovered by the Sydney University GI Research Service and it is the only potato to be officially recognised as low GI by the Glycemic Index Foundation.

"There are three reasons to choose Carisma. It is low GI, tastes good and potatoes have great nutritional value," said Dr Alan Barclay, the Glycemic Index Foundation's Chief Scientific Officer.

"Research is continuing to show that healthy, low GI diets have a range of benefits, including more sustainable weight loss, improvement in the management of diabetes and possibly even reducing the risk of heart disease.

"Consumers can trust the fact that foods with the GI Symbol have been tested at an accredited laboratory using the Australian Standard and meet a range of category-specific nutrient criteria that ensures that they are all-round healthy choices."