Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical index that ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to their effect on blood glucose (i.e., blood sugar) levels – the higher the number, the greater the rise in blood glucose. Pure glucose is used as a reference point, and is given a GI of 100.

However, your body’s glycemic response (i.e., conversion of carbohydrate into glucose) depends on both the type and amount of carbohydrate consumed.

Glycemic Load (GL) takes into account how much carbohydrate is in a particular food. Therefore, although watermelon has a relatively high GI of 72, a 1-cup serving has a relatively low GL of 8.

Why Glycemic Index is Important?

Your body works hard to maintain a relatively constant blood glucose level. When it drops too low, you become tired and/or hungry. When blood glucose gets too high, your pancreas secretes more insulin, which brings blood glucose back down by converting much of the excess glucose to stored body fat. The faster the blood glucose level increases, the more likely that the pancreas will release excess insulin, and drive blood glucose back down too low. This leads to a never-ending cycle of tiredness, fat storage, hunger, and then overeating. Therefore, the GI is used to identify and avoid foods that cause the greatest increase in blood glucose levels and corresponding increases in insulin. 

Potential Benefits of Eating Mainly Low GI Foods

• Weight loss and weight management

• Increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin (thus, causing less insulin secretion)

• Improve diabetes control

• Reduce your risk for getting heart disease

• Reduce your risk for getting type 2 diabetes

• Reduce blood cholesterol levels

• Control your appetite (reduce hunger and improve satiety)

• Improve physical endurance

• Help replace carbohydrate (glycogen) stores after exercise

Tips for Using the Glycemic Index and Load:

1. Choose unprocessed foods rather than refined and processed ones.  Eat the edible peels of fruits and vegetables. Choose whole grain breads, pastas and rice.

2. Avoid instant food products. Instant grains – rice, oats, pasta, potatoes – are higher on the glycemic index because they have been previously chopped, steamed, and cooked in order to make for quick preparation. Try steel cut oats, quinoa, wild rice, or pearled barley instead.

3. Cook starches to “al dente”, or firm. Overcooking will cause them to have a higher glycemic index.  Also try thicker cuts of pasta which have a lower glycemic index than thinner cuts like capellini or angel hair.

4. Try cooled potatoes instead of hot potatoes. By cooling, you change the vegetable’s starch. Use them in lettuce salads are potato salads with vegetables and oil and vinegar.

5. Favor nearly-ripe instead of over-ripe fruits.  For example, an under-ripe banana has half the glycemic index of a ripe banana.

Remember,  the GI index of a food tells us nothing else about other nutritional information.  The GI value of any food item is affected by several factors, including how the food is prepared, how it is processed and what other foods are eaten at the same time.

According to research from a 16-year study that tracked the diets of 120,000 adults from 2015 found that diets with a high GL from eating refined grains, carbohydrates and sugars were associated with more weight gain.

Other studies show that a low GI diet may also aid in weight loss and help maintain weight loss as well. However, more research is needed to determine if this type of diet is more beneficial than a regular healthy diet.

When you need help developing an effective weight loss diet plan, turn to Nebraska Weight Management Institute. Based out of Lincoln, NE,  and also in Omaha, NE for 20 years, they provide area residents with science-based weight loss programs that not only help them achieve a healthier muscle-to-fat ratio but also maintain the results. Get started today by calling (402) 483-4770. Visit them online to learn more about their approach.

Now serving the Kearny, NE, Grand Island, NE and Des Moines, IA area.