The 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 increase glucose levels in milliseconds. The glycemic load considers both the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrates in a food. The carbohydrate in carrots, for example, has a high glycemic index (GI).
Glycemic load measures the effect of food on blood glucose levels. High glycemic load numbers mean faster energy metabolism and more chance of cravings.
The Glycemic Index has a scale from 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that cause the fastest rise in blood sugar. Pure glucose serves as the reference point and is assigned a GI of 100. Because testing is expensive, many food processors are unwilling to finance the cost of testing their foods for GI levels.
The glycemic load takes the concept of the glycemic index a step further, offering a more accurate reflection of the impact eating a specific food has on blood sugar and insulin levels. The glycemic load takes into account the relative amount of carbohydrates the food contains in an average serving.
diabetic diet
The dietary glycemic load is the sum of the glycemic loads of 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 carbohydrates in a meal or diet.
Diets based on foods with carbohydrates that are more slowly digested and absorbed (ie, low glycemic index diets) have been independently linked to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.
Dieters can also feel tired, leading to binge eating. Additionally, many diets are complex, requiring people to perform complicated calculations to determine how much to eat. Dietary intervention, either alone or as part of a therapeutic regimen, is important in the prevention and control of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Adding fat and/or protein can lower the GI of a high GI food. The initial stored glycogen can also affect the GI of a food. Adding a low GI food to a meal will lower the glycemic index of the entire meal.
You can find meals that include low GI foods in our recipe section. Go to the glycemic index food list for a free ebook.