Understanding Diabetes and Glycemic Index - EAT A LOW GLYCEMIC DIET

It was thought that all types of carbohydrates had the same effect on your blood glucose levels and health, so it didn’t matter what type you were consumed. 

It is now known that some types of simple and complex carbohydrates in foods elevate your blood glucose levels more than do others. 

Such differences are particularly significant to people with disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. 

Carbohydrates and carbohydrate-containing foods are now being classified by the extent to which they increase blood glucose levels; the glycemic index. 

Carbohydrates that are digested and absorbed quickly have a high glycemic index and raise blood glucose levels to a greater extent than do those with lower glycemic index values.

Uncontrolled amounts of refined carbohydrates and sugars may be pro-inflammatory.

 

Regular consumption of these high glycemic foods can elevate blood glucose and levels of insulin, which, when chronically increased, can trigger an inflammatory response.

 

Choosing low glycemic foods has been shown to reduce postprandial glucose and insulin levels and “modestly lower” concentrations of the insulin-like growth factor and improve the inflammatory and adipokine profiles. (Runchey, Neuhouser, 2012)

TAKE HOME MESSAGE 

 

It’s vital for you to look at the glycemic load of food versus the glycemic index because the load is a better indicator of your actual portion of food.