Glycemic response is influenced by the amount of food we eat, the type of food we eat, and how the food we eat is processed or prepared. An example of this is: a boiled potato will spike glucose levels in milliseconds. Glycemic Load considers both the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrate in a food. The carbohydrate in carrots, for example, has a high Glycemic Index (G.I.).
Glycemic Load measures the effect of foods on blood glucose levels. High Glycemic Load numbers mean faster metabolism of energy and more chance of cravings.
The Glycemic Index has a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the most rapid rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as a reference point, and is given a G.I. of 100. Because testing is expensive, many food processors are unwilling to fund the cost of testing their foods for G.I. levels.
Glycemic Load takes the concept of Glycemic Index a step further offering a more accurate reflection of the impact eating a specific food has on your blood sugar and insulin levels. The Glycemic Load takes into account the relative amount of carbohydrate the food contains in an average serving.
Diabetes Diet
Dietary Glycemic Load is the sum of the Glycemic Loads for all foods consumed in the diet. The concept of Glycemic Load was developed by scientists to simultaneously describe the quality (Glycemic Index) and quantity of carbohydrate in a meal or diet.
Diets based on carbohydrate foods that are more slowly digested and absorbed (i.e., low Glycemic Index diets) have been independently linked to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some types of cancer.
Dieters may also feel fatigued, causing them to binge. In addition, many diets are complex, requiring individuals to do complicated calculations in order to determine how much they should eat. Dietary intervention, either alone or as part of a therapeutic regimen, is important in the prevention and management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Adding fat and/or protein can lower the G.I. of a high G.I. food. Initial glycogen stored may also affect the G.I. of a food. Adding a low G.I. food to a meal will lower the Glycemic Index of the whole meal.
You can find meals that include low G.I. foods in our recipe section. Go to Glycemic food index list for Free e-Book.
