Understanding The Glycemic Index

Understanding the glycemic index is an essential part of learning to manage your diet as a diabetic, or parent of a diabetic. Managing your diet using the GI includes making sure the foods you eat are in the lower to medium level, and balancing foods with high GI by combining them with low GI foods. This is essential to properly managing your diabetes and preventing serious complications.

The glycemic index measures how foods that contain carbs affect the blood glucose levels. Some foods, like meats, don’t raise glucose levels at all because they contain no carbs, so aren’t included in the index. Foods are compared using a reference food, such as white bread or glucose, that is used as a control point.

Examples of foods that are low on the glycemic index include dried beans, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, most fruits as well as a few starchy vegetables. Sweet potatoes, barley, oatmeal, kidney beans and lentils all have low GI ratings. Oatmeal and rice are also considered low GI foods.

There are many factors that affect the GI of a food, including fat and fiber. High fiber and fat tend to lower the GI of a food, as does highly processed or over cooking in many cases. Other factors can also affect the GI of the individual food such as ripeness, the variety, cooking method and processing.

Although the GI value can help you choose which foods to eat, eating the right amount is also very important. Eating several portions of a medium GI food can be just as detrimental as if you were to eat a high GI food. Making sure you choose your portions just as carefully as the food is essential to managing weight and glucose levels.

Combining foods also affect the GI of the food, and higher GI foods should be combined with low GI foods for balancing blood glucose levels. This goes hand in hand with portions as well, make sure to serve smaller portions of foods with high GI even if it is combined with lower GI foods.

The GI rating shouldn’t be the only factor you consider when making your meal plan as many nutritious foods have a higher GI than goods that have no nutritional value. For example, an Apple is higher than dark Chocolate, but is also the healthier choice. Make sure to take all factors into consideration to ensure your body gets the nutrients it needs, and your blood glucose levels remain under control.

There is no diet that will work for everyone, and each patient should work to figure out the balance that works best for their particular situation. Following a meal plan is an essential part of properly managing your health. Meal plans that are tailored to your likes, needs and lifestyle will be much easier to maintain and can help you achieve your long term goals much quicker.

The Glycemic Index is an essential part of managing your diet and controlling blood glucose levels. Remember that portion size is just as important as GI levels, and being aware of the amount of carbs you eat is just as the GI level. Using the GI is a great way to fine tune your meal plan for effective blood glucose management.