If you are trying to manage diabetes, a smart way to determine how a food may affect your ability to control blood sugar is by looking at the food’s glycemic load (GL).
Based on the same concept as the glycemic index (GI), but a little more practical, GL (which was created by Walter Willett, MD, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues) takes into account both quality and quantity. It is determined by the GI of any given food, as well as the amount of available, or net, carbohydrates (fiber excluded) in a standard serving.
The GL has revealed a few surprises that everyone managing diabetes should know. For example: Did you know that some foods with a high GI actually have minimal effects on your ability to maintain blood sugar levels when eaten in normal quantities, while others with a low GI are potentially problematic?
It’s true! In fact, a large carrot and a cup of spaghetti have similar GIs. Yet, that carrot contains only 5 g of available carbs (it’s mostly water), while the spaghetti contains 38 g, giving them GLs of 2 and 16, respectively. Therefore, they have dramatically different effects on blood sugar.
Carrots, watermelon, pineapple, and other fruits with a high GI once thought to be inappropriate
for those minding their glucose levels turn out to be acceptable, while the GL confirms the need to cut out pasta, bagels, and other starchy, carbohydrate-dense foods.
And hundreds of studies confirm that eating a low GL diet is a great way to treat type 2 diabetes. One typical study, a meta-analysis of clinical trials involving more than 350 patients, revealed that a low GL diet improved both the long- and short-term likelihood of your ability to manage blood sugar levels.
For more information on ways to control blood sugar, visit www.drwhitaker.com.
Based on the same concept as the glycemic index (GI), but a little more practical, GL (which was created by Walter Willett, MD, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, and colleagues) takes into account both quality and quantity. It is determined by the GI of any given food, as well as the amount of available, or net, carbohydrates (fiber excluded) in a standard serving.
The GL has revealed a few surprises that everyone managing diabetes should know. For example: Did you know that some foods with a high GI actually have minimal effects on your ability to maintain blood sugar levels when eaten in normal quantities, while others with a low GI are potentially problematic?
It’s true! In fact, a large carrot and a cup of spaghetti have similar GIs. Yet, that carrot contains only 5 g of available carbs (it’s mostly water), while the spaghetti contains 38 g, giving them GLs of 2 and 16, respectively. Therefore, they have dramatically different effects on blood sugar.
Carrots, watermelon, pineapple, and other fruits with a high GI once thought to be inappropriate
for those minding their glucose levels turn out to be acceptable, while the GL confirms the need to cut out pasta, bagels, and other starchy, carbohydrate-dense foods.
And hundreds of studies confirm that eating a low GL diet is a great way to treat type 2 diabetes. One typical study, a meta-analysis of clinical trials involving more than 350 patients, revealed that a low GL diet improved both the long- and short-term likelihood of your ability to manage blood sugar levels.
For more information on ways to control blood sugar, visit www.drwhitaker.com.
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