Are mesquite pods low glycemic?

Is mesquite flour low glycemic?

Short answer: yes. But the longer answer is more interesting, and it starts with what mesquite actually is. Most people hear the word and think of barbecue sauce. What they miss is that mesquite pods, the edible part, are sweet, flour-like, and loaded with fiber. They also happen to be an incredibly stable carbohydrate source.

Mesquite’s sugar and fiber make all the difference

Mesquite flour, made by grinding the whole dried pods (not just the seeds), is naturally sweet. That sweetness comes mostly from fructose, not glucose or sucrose. Fructose has a lower glycemic index because the body metabolizes it in the liver and doesn't need insulin to do it. So, it tastes sugary but doesn't spike blood sugar in the same way a refined carb would.

That alone would give mesquite flour a low glycemic profile. But it's the fiber that seals the deal. Mesquite flour is high in soluble fiber, which slows digestion and keeps blood glucose from shooting up after a meal. According to the University of Arizona, the total fiber content can be more than 25% by weight, depending on species and harvest conditions. That puts it closer to legumes than grains.

Formal Studies of Mesquite’s Glycemic Response

There's no formal GI number from a university study as it stands. But traditional use, nutritional analysis, and small-scale tests back it up its low glycemic response. One 2006 article in the Journal of Ethnobiology analyzed velvet mesquite and found it produced minimal blood sugar spikes in diabetic patients. That doesn't make it a medicine. It makes it a food that behaves better than most.

It also explains why Indigenous communities relied on it for millennia. The Tohono O’odham people, for instance, ate mesquite as a staple. Today, they face disproportionate rates of Type 2 diabetes, in part because mesquite was replaced by commodity grains and processed sugar. Reintroducing it into diets has shown potential not just for cultural preservation but for blood sugar control.

Mesquite is a superfood. Most alternative flours need tweaking to be functional or palatable. Mesquite brings flavor, nutrition, and stability to the table without help.

Try our Mez Bars today to see how they fit into your low-sugar lifestyle and let us know what you think.