SmartHealthForLife.com

What is a Glycemic Index?

Glycemic Index or GI for short is a numerical ranking system used in measuring the comparative degree of absorption and digestion of carbohydrates and their effect on blood glucose. After consumption, a food with a low GI causes a weaker, sustained rise in blood glucose. Foods with a high GI produce a greater temporary spike in blood glucose.

The GI concept was developed in 1980 at the University of Toronto in a study to determine which foods were best for people with diabetes. A lower glycemic response (below 55) usually equates to a lower insulin demand and may improve long-term blood glucose control and blood lipids compared to medium (56-69), or high (greater than 70).

Several factors including the chemical and physical structure of the carb; how refined the carb is; how the carb is cooked; and the presence of other substances may influence the GI value of a food

Differences or Similarities Between the Low Carbohydrate Diet and the Low GI Diet

The premise behind low carb diets is that the body is forced to use fat as its main source of fuel because throughout the day, blood sugar, (or insulin level) is so low. What occurs with low GI diet plans is similar. The difference lies in low GI diets not restricting carbohydrate intake. It is just restricted in its selection of carbohydrates for consumption.

What is the the Glycemic Load (GL for short)?

The concept of glycemic load was developed by scientists to simultaneously describe the quality (GI) and quantity of a carbohydrate in diet. The glycemic load of a food is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index by the amount of carbohydrate in grams provided by a food and dividing the total by 100. For example, the glycemic load of 2.4 ounce French fries with a GI of 54 and 21 g of carbs is GL = 54 x 21g divided by 100 = 11. The GL of a pear with a GI of 25 and 21 grams of carbs is GL = 25 x 21g divided by 100 =5. The French fries have more than 2 times the glycemic weight of a pear.

Five Myths Akin to the GI.

Myth 1 — Shun white foods such as pasta and white bread because they have a high GI.

Color in essence does not anticipate a high GI. Preparation method, quantity of processing and meal composition influence GI, not food colors. For instance, white bread spread with 35 grams butter (78) has more GI than white bread dipped in 35 grams of olive oil GI (20). Therefore, eating potatoes or white bread in conjunction with protein and fat changes their overall GI values.

Myth 2 — The quantity of carbs and sugar in certain foods is established by its GI value.

GI declares nothing on carb content. It simply describes the rate glucose is released in the bloodstream. Look at the GL examples above. Both pear and fries have equal number of grams of carb but the fries have a higher GL value. On the other hand, one could consume two unlike foods with a comparable GI. The blood glucose response will still be larger for the food eaten in higher quantity.

Myth 3 — Simple sugars are all high in GI.

The GI for most raw fruit is between 30-50 even though they contain the simple sugar fructose (GI 21). Most fruit have a slower rate of absorption and digestion than glucose (GI 93) another simple sugar.

Myth 4 — GI values can prejudge healthy versus unhealthy foods.

The GI does not point to whether a food is healthy or not. For example, whole milk has a GI of 27 whereas skim milk has a GI of 32. In this example, lower GI doesn’t constantly mean a healthier product because whole milk contains saturated fat making it a less than healthier choice.

Myth 5 — I can eat limitless low GI food and still keep my insulin levels low.

Bear in mind that the glycemic response is a combination of GI x carb density. Therefore, higher carbohydrate consumption will still result in higher insulin levels even with low GI values.

Rochester Athletic Club, Fitness Center of Rochester and Rochester Weight Loss Programs dedicate its services to helping you get fit and stay healthy.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Successful Weight Loss Program
• Ordering By Using Canadian Pharmacies Devices
• Discount Drugs Are An Superb Alternative For Over The Internet Pharmacies
• Making Tips To Lose Weight Work For You – Working With Your Body
• Raw Food Diet Recipes