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I was recently surprised when a friend told me she doesn’t eat carrots because they are bad for you and an obstacle to weight loss. Hmm. How can this delicious, low-carb, fibrous vegetable be bad for you?
Some research was in order. My friend based her opinion on the fact that carrots have a high glycemic index.
The Glycemic index (GI) is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood glucose levels.
Carbohydrates that break down rapidly during digestion have the highest glycemic indices. Carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood stream, have a low glycemic index.
Scientific research suggests that individuals that follow a low GI diet may reduce their risks of diabetes, coronary heart disease, and obesity.
Opponents of the GI criticize that the GI value is based on a portion that contains 50 grams of carbohydrates only. However, this criticism can be addressed by taking the Glycemic load (GL) into account.
The Glycemic load is a ranking system for carbohydrate content in food portions based on their GI and the portion size.
The formula for glycemic load takes into account typical portion sizes and therefore gives you a much better idea of the food’s effect on your blood sugar.
Take spaghetti and carrots, for example. The glycemic index of 50 grams of spaghetti is only “moderate,” but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who eats just 50 grams of spaghetti. The glycemic load of spaghetti is huge. And while the glycemic index of 50 grams of carrots is “high,” you probably wouldn’t eat 50 grams of carrots. (There are only three grams of carbohydrate in a single carrot.) Carrots have a high glycemic index but a very low glycemic load.
Using the glycemic index is a great start in learning about the impact of food on your blood sugar. But glycemic load is even better, because it takes into account what you’re likely to eat.
Some related web sites I like are:
Tree/freetext search-style database of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
Low glycemic index recipes, cooking tips, and food lists
Technorati Tags: glycemic index , glycemic load , GI , GL , nutrition , carbohydrates , diet
