The Glycemic Index Explained

Very likely you're on the road toward future health problems. If you don't know what Glycemic Index (GI) means, you should.

Likely you're among millions already on the road to developing diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

Simply put the food you eat is converted into glucose. The pancreas produces the insulin that acts as a key that opens the door so glucose can be absorbed into the cells of the body where it can be used for energy. For many type 2 diabetics the cells have become resistant and do not absorb glucose even when there is plenty of insulin around to do the job.

It is estimated that upwards of a billion people exhibit some form of insulin resistance. Called syndrome X, their pancreas produce more than enough insulin to move glucose but their cells are showing some form of insulin resistance. That requires the pancreas to produce excess insulin to get blood sugar into the cells. Many functions slow down as you age. Combined with a diet high in processed food can lead to diabetes in your future.

So even if you're not diabetic you should still pay attention to the terms Glycemic index and Glycemic load

So what is GI, GL and why should you care?

The Glycemic Index is a measure of how fast the food you eat is converted into blood sugar.

The Glycemic Load measures the amount of food that is eaten to produce high levels of glucose. In other wors, you can raise your blood sugar by consuming greater quantities of food though they may have low GI values.

Highly processed and refined foods such as white bread, sugary breakfast cereals, cookies and cakes rank high on the glycemic index. High GI foods lead to high spikes in blood sugar and it is those high spikes and a slow decline that can lead to damage to the heart and kidneys and other vital organs of the body.

The case is different for high fiber foods. They lead to a slower rise in blood sugar. The pancreas does not need to produce massive amounts of insulin to get rid of excess sugar. Fruits, nuts and seeds, vegetables and whole grain products rank low on the GI scale. They're a healthier alternative to high glycemic foods.

Watermelon has a high GI. So avoiding it may sound like a good idea but watermelon has only 6 grams of carbohydrates in half a cup. This is where the GL comes in. 2 slices of watermelon will not significantly create a rise in blood sugar. GL takes into account the amount of calories consumed. Along with GI you have a good standard to determine which foods are best and which you need to avoid.

A GL rating of 20 or more is considered high, 11 to 19 in the medium range.

A single slice of whole wheat bread has a moderate measure of 69 on GI. But it ranks a low 9 on the GL index.6 for that one slice.

Take a look at the GI for a can of any soft drink. The GI is 68 and the GL is 34. Clearly that one can is high on both scales.

Likely the food you are eating rates high on the GI-GL indexes, it makes sense to switch to high fiber food that won't cause blood sugar to peak. Simply replacing your typical junk food will go a long way toward maintaining blood sugar levels.

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