The glycemic index is a common tool used to manage blood sugar levels. But to understand this index, we first need to know how blood sugar affects the body and why it is important to control it.
BLOOD SUGAR BASICS
Blood sugar, also known as blood glucose, is a vital source of energy for our cells. This complex compound comes from the food we eat and affects almost every function in our body.
Working in tandem with our body’s blood sugar levels is insulin, a hormone that helps our cells efficiently use blood sugar for energy. Produced by the pancreas, this substance helps us maintain stable energy levels and overall health.
Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce insulin or respond to it properly, leading to impaired carbohydrate metabolism and elevated glucose levels in the blood and urine. Type 2 diabetes, a condition that affects nearly 10 percent of Americans, can be largely prevented by keeping blood sugar levels under control. For this reason, the glycemic index is certainly useful.
CARBOHYDRATES ARE SUGARS
When we talk about the foods that our bodies use for energy in the form of blood sugar, we’re talking about carbohydrates. Research shows that eating too many of these carbohydrates can lead to weight gain and insulin resistance. In other words, choosing the wrong carbohydrates can potentially lead to type 2 diabetes.
Now the golden question: what are “good carbs” and what are “bad carbs”?
Well, when it comes to carbohydrates for nutrition, it’s helpful to think about choices in terms of “bad,” “best,” and “optimal.” This is where the glycemic index comes into play.
INDEX
As mentioned above, the glycemic index is a useful metric used to measure how much certain foods, especially carbohydrates, affect your blood sugar levels. It can be used to categorize foods as low, medium, or high. Here’s a look at some common food classifications based on the three glycemic index ratings. For organization purposes, we’ll create 5 subcategories of food, namely: fruits, vegetables, grains, breads, and snacks.
LOW (55 OR LESS)
Fruits: apples, apricots, blueberries, cranberries, grapefruit, peaches, plums, tangerines.
Vegetables: asparagus, artichoke, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, greens.
Cereals: barley, rye, wild rice, wheat pasta.
Bread: flax bread, oat bran, wheat lavash, rye bread.
Snacks: almonds, peanuts, Greek yogurt, hummus.
AVERAGE (56-69)
Fruits: banana, grapes, mango, kiwi, oranges.
Vegetables: beets, carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, corn on the cob.
Grains: cornmeal, brown and white rice, couscous.
Bread: regular lavash, wheat bread, pumpernickel bread, high fiber bread.
Snacks: chocolate (cocoa), bran muffins, popcorn.
HIGH (70 AND ABOVE)
Fruits: watermelon, pineapple.
Vegetables: Most canned/frozen corn, potatoes, pumpkin.
Cereals: instant rice, tapioca.
Bread: white bread, bagels, buns, baguette.
Snacks: candy, crackers, cookies and chips.
CHOOSE WISELY
While the occasional bag of chips or cookies can be a nice treat, it’s best to choose foods with a low glycemic index. These foods promote good health and can help prevent unwanted weight gain and the further development of type 2 diabetes. Additionally, because of the complexity of sugar molecules, low glycemic index foods often provide longer-lasting energy, keeping you full for longer periods of time.
At Total Health and Fitness, we design meal plans that focus on foods that will keep your energy levels up, helping you reach and maintain a healthy weight. With proper exercise and nutrition, you can prevent type 2 diabetes. For more information, feel free to contact us today.
