Is a Low-Glycemic Index Diet Healthier for Type 2 Diabetics?

The glycemic index is often touted as "the answer" for Type 2 diabetics, but the numbers on the glycemic index (GI) are not all you need to consider for controlling your blood sugar levels and your weight.

The GI is a measurement of how fast a food can be digested into glucose by the human body. Nutritional scientists recruit volunteers in groups of ten. They are asked to fast, and then they are given 50-gram (slightly less than 2 oz) samples of a single food, their blood sugar levels taken at various times after they eat. The average time for digestion is then compared to the digestion of either glucose or bread.

The problem with this system is that nobody makes a meal of just 50 grams of, say, raw turnips, and nothing else, and if foods are mixed, glycemic indices can change dramatically. Adding a pickle to a piece of white bread, for instance, changes the GI from 100 to 45. Cold foods have a much lower glycemic index than hot foods. Hot instant mashed potatoes sometimes are rated 110, their sugars entering the bloodstream even faster than room-temperature glucose, but cold mashed potatoes can have a GI as low as 58.

Nor does the system account for the fact that your body may be able to maintain normal blood sugar levels if you eat a small serving of a high GI food, but not if you if eat a large serving of a low glycemic index food. This measurement system will never take the place of common sense or portion control.

Even though the glycemic index research gives us some insight into how foods react in our bodies, there are many inconsistencies in relating this index with the actual response of the body. This makes the GI difficult to rely on entirely.

However, as a general rule, lower glycemic index foods, eaten in small portions, are preferable to high glycemic index foods. If a food has valuable nutrients, however, such as berries, then eat up to one serving per meal, and limit yourself to one high glycemic index food at a time.

You can make any food a lower glycemic index food if you just take a little vinegar, either directly, drinking a shot glass of vinegar, or indirectly, in the form of a vinaigrette over a salad, at the beginning of any meal. The acidic vinegar becomes alkaline bicarbonates after it has been digested, greatly slowing down the absorption of sugars digested from other foods giving you a lower glycemic response.

The Glycemic Index, Diabetes and Obesity

The traditional classification of carbohydrates as either simple or complex has limitations regarding the practical applications involving dietary analysis and prescription.

Knowledge of the glycemic index(GI) and glycemic load of foods has greatly increased our understanding of the relationship between the composition of dietary carbohydrates, physiological effects and possible health outcomes.

The Glycemic Index and Health

The GI of foods appears to have profound effects on metabolism and as such may dramatically affect the risk of development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As these diseases are highly prevalent in society the health of the population in general could be significantly improved simply by adjusting the diet to include predominantly low GI foods.

It is interesting to note that foods containing refined carbohydrates such as sugar do not necessarily have a high glycemic index and that the inclusion of a moderate intake of sugars at 10-12 % of total calorie consumption is not related to obesity, insulin sensitivity, micronutrient deficiency or altered lipid profiles.

Diabetic diet and Low Glycemic Index Foods
The traditional approach to the treatment of diabetes has been to completely exclude sugar while other aspects of carbohydrate-containing foods such as the fiber and fat content have been somewhat neglected. Expanding the diet to include small amounts of sugars and foods containing them in the context of an overall low GI and glycemic load, may help to increase variety and flexibility in the diet and from a holistic point of view this may actually promote a healthier attitude towards dietary change that ultimately results an overall healthier diet.

The Glycemic Index and Obesity

Conversely it is important to consider the complete nutritional profile of the foods in conjunction with their glycemic index as some foods that have a low GI may be very high in calories and/or fat and contribute little to the micronutrient intake such as commercially produced cakes, chocolate bars and other snack foods.

These types of foods are also more likely to be eaten in excess and will likely contribute to the development of obesity and the associated increased risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis and certain cancers. Diets containing more than very small amounts of these types of foods will also tend to be high in fat and calories and low in fiber, factors associated with insulin resistance and the development of type 2 diabetes.

What Is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index, or GI, was developed between 1980 and 1982 by Dr. David J. Jenkins and his associates. They developed it when they were attempting to discern what would be the best foods people who have diabetes should eat.

The glycemic index measures the effect of carbohydrates on the blood sugar level.

If a carbohydrate quickly breaks down during digestion and rapidly releases glucose into the bloodstream it will be assigned a high glycemic index. If a carbohydrate slowly breaks down and gradually releases glucose into the bloodstream it will have a low GI.

Foods that have a low glycemic index usually are digested at a slower rate. They often, but not always, have lower insulin demands on the body.

Currently glucose is used as a reference food and is assigned a GI value of 100. White bread could be used as a reference food, as well. If white bread were assigned a value of 100 then glucose would have a value of 140.

What are Low G I Foods?

Low GI foods release glucose more steadily and slowly. Their GI range is 55 or less. Most vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, eggs, meat, milk, fructose, and nuts are low GI foods.

What are Medium G I Foods?

Medium GI foods have a GI that falls into the 55 - 69 range. Sweet potatoes, whole wheat products, sucrose, and basmati rice fall within this range.

What are High G I Foods?

High GI foods have a GI of 70 or more. These include white bread, potatoes, most white rice, watermelon, glucose, extruded breakfast cereals, and corn flakes.

If you add vinegar to food you will lower its GI. Also, if there are soluble dietary fibers or fats present in a food they can slow down the gastric emptying rate. When that happens the GI becomes lower.

GI and Weight Control

Recent research with animals indicates that diets that are high in GI carbohydrates will increase an animal's risk of becoming obese.

One such study involved male rats. They were divided into low- and high-GI groups and subsequently were observed over a four and a half month period.

Over those 18 weeks the rats on the high GI diet ended up with 8% less lean body mass and 71% more fat than the low GI group.

In addition, post meal insulin levels, glycemia, and triglycerides were significantly higher in the high GI group.

How Can You Use the GI?

If half of your calories come from carbohydrates, you can determine which carbs you should eat and thus you can use the GI to enable you to still have lower and more stable insulin and glucose levels.

Keep in mind, though, that the amount of carbohydrates you eat have a greater impact on blood sugar levels than the GI itself. If you want to lose weight then consuming less calories and fewer carbohydrates could benefit your blood sugar level even more.

You will be able to have the most stable blood sugar level if you calculate your carbohydrate intake and eat carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.

The Glycemic Index Foods List

is getting more and more popular to those who are suffering from diabetes, and even to those who are non-diabetics. But can be incorporated to anyone's health as long as they want to stay healthy.

First and foremost, you must understand how works and how it can help you get healthier. This concept was developed for people to better understand how the variety of foods can affect your blood sugar levels. This is very helpful for physicians to come up with a great plan for their patients for them to be able to keep their blood sugar stable as well.

On , foods are rated between 0 and 100, where 100 is the value of a pure glucose. Foods which are listed on the higher end of the list are often digested faster and are easily converted into glucose. The main goal here is to avoid foods that may cause your blood sugar to elevate. You should know that when your blood sugar level rises, your body finds the need to clear it out immediately. If this happens, you will then feel hungry and find the need to eat again.

Low glycemic foods are often recommended as it can keep your blood sugar at a normal level, especially when eaten with other foods that can slowdown the response of the insulin. This can then make you feel full longer after meals. This means less hunger, less snacking and less craving for foods with high glycemic value.

The list is exactly how it sounds. It is a list of various foods and how it can affect your blood sugar levels. This includes the glycemic value for bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, fruits, pretzels and all other carbohydrates there is. This content is being adopted by many due to the fact that it is quite easy to understand. Foods are considered high if it has an index value of 70 and above, and these foods should be avoided. If the index value of the food is between 56 and 70, it is considered moderate. Foods which are low in glycemic index are the ones with a value of 55 and below. These are the foods that you should focus on since this can help you maintain a well-balanced blood sugar level.

You might wonder why a diet based on is best for you. The simplest reason is due to the fact that it is not meant to be a fad diet. If you are to focus on eating low glycemic foods, then you can maintain your body's health and you will be less prone to gaining weight, diabetes, insulin resistance and other heart diseases.