Glycemic Load And The Glycemic Food Index

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Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Load

While the glycemic index (GI) tells you how rapidly a carbohydrate is converted into glucose, the glycemic load gives a better view as it takes into account the amount of carbohydrate in the food as well. Foods that are low GL are also known as "complex carbohydrates", and are the better type of carbohydrates to eat. Processed foods have a high GL, as most of the fiber has been removed from them, to make cooking easy. Frosted cupcakes and white bread are examples of high GL foods. These are very quickly broken down in the body into sugar and cause a spike in insulin levels, resulting in a craving for more carbohydrates. Foods with a low GL on the other hand, such as whole grains and lentils are broken down more slowly and keep blood glucose and insulin levels from sharp fluctuations.

The modern Western diet is largely based on the consumption of huge amounts of simple sugars and refined starches, as many foods are processed to make cooking easy. White flour for example has all the fiber and bran removed from it, so when it is consumed, it is rapidly converted into sugar. Over time this can lead to weight management problems and health issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Eating high GL foods is addictive and breaking this habit is the secret to sustainable weight loss.

Make the switch to low GL today

• Choose whole grains over refined, starchy or sugary foods
• Substitute whole grain bread, brown rice, bulgar and barley in place of white bread and potatoes at meals
• Eat more high fibre foods such as vegetables, oats, barley, lentils and legumes
• Start the day with oats or whole grain cereal
• Cut back on high GL foods such as pastries and desserts
• Limit the quantities of fruit juice and have whole fruit instead. Eat smaller portions of high GL fruits.
• Avoid fast food takeouts such as french fries

The Glycemic Load and Glycemic Index Scales

The glycemic index of a food tells you how fast it is converted into sugar. A food that has a high GI will raise your blood sugar and insulin levels faster than a food with a low GI. However, this value does not tell you how much carbohydrate the food has. For example, watermelon has a high GI of 72, but it only contains a little carbohydrate, so therefore it has a low GL of 4. White rice in comparison has a GI of 69, but a GL of 29. So, in actual fact, watermelon, despite having a higher GI, is the better food choice. Foods that have a low GL usually also have a low GI, but foods with a high or intermediate GL can range from high to low GI. In general the following classification is used:

A comparison of Glycemic Loads of some common foods

The table below compares the glycemic load values of some common types of food. The benefit of choosing low GL foods over high GL foods is that your body will digest these foods slowly, keeping hunger at bay, and allow you to feel full on less calories.

The difference between Wholemeal and Wholegrain

Confused between these terms? Many people are. Bread is made from flour, which comes from cereal grains such as wheat, oats, barley or rye. A kernel of grain is made up of an outer husk of bran, an inner endosperm of starch and protein, and a germ seed which contains antioxidants and vitamins. Whole grains contain the full grain, in contrast to refined grains such as white flour that have had the bran and germ removed, leaving only the starchy endosperm. Whole meal flour is made from ground up whole grains, and therefore, wholemeal foods are also wholegrain. However, be careful to read the label when buying wholemeal bread, as sometimes these contain a mixture of wholemeal and refined flour. Wholegrain bread contains the whole grain and is also very high in fiber, making it the best choice.

Fibre

Fiber has an important effect on your health, and can reduce the risk of certain illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, constipation and diverticular disease. The current recommendation is that you should eat least 20 grams a day of fiber.

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