Low glycemic index foods help to control diabetes
A lot of food packaging have a label marked with "Low GI". GI is the short-form of glycemic index. It is the rate at which carbohydrates affects our blood glucose level. The index was created in 1980 to categorize which food is best for diabetic patients.
Carbohydrate increases blood glucose level
Carbohydrate in food after being absorbed through digestion increases blood glucose. The rate at which blood glucose increases depends on the type of carbohydrate. Food with high GI releases glucose in the bloodstream faster and in larger quantities, while low GI food increases blood glucose slower and in a steadier pace. Glycemic index is a number between 0 to 100. High GI is ranked between 70 to 100, such as watermelon, white rice, white bread and glucose. Medium GI is ranked between 56 to 69, including whole wheat and brown rice. Lastly, low GI is anywhere between 0 to 55 representative of most fruit and vegetables and milk.
When considering items of equal carbohydrate, patients with diabetes is suggested to consume foods with low GI value to increase the effectiveness of insulin and blood glucose regulation in target cells. Studies have shown that the intake of high GI foods compared to low GI foods produces more fat body mass and fewer lean body mass, and can also lead to other metabolic dysfunctions. Parts of the study suggested that by regularly eating a low GI diet, we can decrease our lipid level and lower the rate of having heart disease.
Now we know the upside, so what’s the downside?
Low GI foods seem to have a wonderful array of health benefits. However, they don’t necessary mean low calorie or low fat. There are products such as chocolate, chips and cakes that may have low GI but high calorie and fat. The fat content of these type of food stay in the stomach for a longer period of time, thereby decreasing the rate of which glucose is released. So even with a low GI rank, they are rather unhealthy for the body. The next time you go grocery shopping, in addition to watching for the glycemic index, be aware of the total amount of calorie, fat and carbohydrate as well.
