Monday, July 20, 2009

The Glycemic Index List Of Foods - Tallying Your Glycemic Load...

By Dan Beckwith

Following the glycemic index list of foods can be confusing at times and many of us have a challenge figuring out how it relates to us. Not to mention that the same food could have several different rankings depending on the way it is grown, processed, and cooked. Now add in that it can respond differently depending on how much we eat, how we combine various foods and our own metabolic rate. Yup...confusing!

Now figure that are a some inconsistencies in the way the glycemic index list of foods was calculated.

Based on a quantity of 50 grams, some experts say that it is well below the amount we would normally eat and doesn't correctly state the food's impact. It tends to understate the high carbohydrate food's impact on our blood sugar and overstate how we are affected by low carbohydrate foods.

But...there is a solution. To help clear up some of the confusion, nutritionists have developed the "glycemic load" calculation. It's more accurate because it takes the quantity of carbohydrates like starches and sugars into account, not just the quality, the food's amount of fiber.

Everything we eat affects our blood sugar levels. The way foods are combined and the amount we eat can affect the levels too, so it is said that the glycemic load is a better calculation than using the glycemic index list of foods by itself.

The calculation is pretty basic. Just find the food on the glycemic index list of foods. You will use its ranking number. Divide that number by 100 then multiply by the number of grams you are eating. That's the glycemic load and you now have a usable number to manage your blood sugar levels..

So you know where the foods rank...a load number of 11-19 is medium, below 10 is low and 20+ is high.

The glycemic load calculation can really be an eye opener. Based on a 50 gram amount, the juicy watermelon scores a whopping 72 on the glycemic index list of foods. Divide by 100 and multiply by a serving size of 120 grams, and you get a load value of only 4.32. Whew, we can enjoy our hot summer day's piece of watermelon again!

There just isn't a lot of carbohydrate in watermelon so it helps it score better on the load charts even though it is high on the glycemic index list of foods.

Once you understand the concepts of the glycemic index and the glycemic load, it's easier to see why combining the various food groups is a healthier way to eat.

Cheerios are basically nothing but refined carbs and will be digested and enter the blood stream quickly. Causing unhealthy spikes in our blood sugar levels. The proteins and fats in ice cream slow digestion and avoid the spikes. That's why a scoop of ice cream ranks better than a hand full of Cherios on both the index and load lists!

The glycemic index list of foods is a terrific dietary aid all by itself. If you are not the type person to count carbs and do the math, then just follow the list and you will get amazing health benefits. It can't hurt. But, if you are the detail oriented type, calculating the glycemic load will give you the best and healthiest diet currently know to science.

My website has a lot of information on the glycemic index list of foods. Check it out right away! You can also get my "Fast Weight Loss Tips!" mini-course while it is still free.

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