The Lowdown on Glycemic Load: How This Tool Can Aid ...

Glycemic load is a classification of foods with carbohydrates that measures their impact on the body and blood sugar. “It's used to help you ... Diet&NutritionTheLowdownonGlycemicLoad:HowaFreeToolCanImproveBloodSugarManagementGlycemicloadisasmidgemoreusefulthanglycemicindexwhenitcomestochoosinghealthy,diabetes-friendlyfoods.Here’swhyandhowtouseittoyouradvantage.By ValenciaHigueraMedicallyReviewedby LynnGrieger,RDN,CDCESReviewed:September8,2020MedicallyReviewedDoesthefoodonyourplatehavealow,medium,orhighglycemicload?EverydayHealthHaveyouevereatenasnackinhopesofcuringyourafternoonslumponlytofeelupandthendownagain?That’scalledabloodsugar(glucose)dip,andwhileforpeoplewithdiabetesthiskindoffluctuationcanbemorepronouncedanddangerous,asJohnHopkinsMedicinenotes,foreveryoneelse,itcanbetheultimatedownerandproductivitykiller.Fortunately,there’safree,easy-to-usetoolthatcanhelpyoukeepyourbloodsugarlevelsteady,regardlessofwhetheryouhavediabetes.Meet:theglycemicload.Byusinganeasyformula(nomajorarithmeticrequired!)youcanlearnhowquicklyfoodsthatcontaincarbs—fromcookiestocarrots—leadtobloodsugarspikesordips,and,ifyouhavediabetes,potentiallyhelporhurtyourA1Cnumber.(That’dbethetwo-tothree-monthaverageofyourbloodsugarlevels,astheAmericanDiabetesAssociationnotes.)Here’showglycemicloadanditscounterpartglycemicindexwork.RELATED:HowManyCarbsAreinThat?ACheatSheetforType2DiabetesGlycemicLoadvs.GlycemicIndex:What’stheDifference?Maybeyou’vealreadyheardofglycemicindex.“Theglycemicindexranksfoodsbasedonhowquicklythey'redigestedandraisebloodglucoselevels,"saysSandraMeyerowitz,MPH,RD,ownerofNutritionWorksinLouisville,Kentucky.Glycemicloadissimilarbutmarkedlydifferent,especiallywhenitcomestomakingfoodchoicestobettermanagediabetes,notestheMayoClinic.“It’sglycemicloadthattakesintoconsiderationeverycomponentofthefoodasawhole,”Meyerowitzadds,“soit'sadifferentnumber.Itchangeseverything.”Becausetheglycemicloadofafoodlooksatmultiplecomponents,thesamefoodcanbehighontheglycemicindexbutcarryanoveralllowglycemicload.Inthesecases,thefoodisabetterchoiceforbloodsugarmanagementthansuspected,accordingtoHarvardMedicalSchool.Glycemicloadisaclassificationoffoodswith carbohydratesthatmeasurestheirimpactonthebodyandbloodsugar.“It’susedtohelpyouknowhowhighyourbloodsugarcouldgowhenyouactuallyeatthefood,andthismeasurementalsoletsyouknowhowmuchglucoseperservingaparticularfoodcandeliver,”explainsMelissaNieves,RD,withKemtai,avirtualpersonaltrainercompanyandwhoisbasedinBayamón,PuertoRico.Theglycemicindexrangesfrom0to100,where100ispureglucoseorsugar,accordingtotheBritishDiabeticAssociation(BDA).“Thelowerafood'sglycemicindex,theslowerbloodsugarrisesaftereatingthatfood,andviceversa,”continuesNieves.RELATED:TheBestandWorstFoodstoEatinaType2DiabetesDietHowtoCalculateaFood’sGlycemicLoadWithGlycemicIndexAccordingtoresearchersattheUniversityofSydney,whowereamongthefirsttostudyglycemicload,youcancalculateaGLwiththefollowingformula:GL=(GIxtheamountofcarbohydrate)dividedby100Theyprovidethefollowingexamplewithanapple:(40x15)dividedby100=6Thus,amedium-sizedapplewouldhavealowglycemicload,makingitagreatsnackforpeoplemanagingdiabetes.Moreonthisnext!RELATED:8FruitsThatAreGoodforPeopleWithType2DiabetesGlycemicLoadandDiet:TheEffectonYourHealthTheUniversityofCaliforniainSanFrancisco(UCSF)definesglycemicload valuesas:LowGL:10orlessMediumGL:11to19HighGL:20orhigherLookattheGIranges,asacomparison:LowGI:55orlessMediumGI:56to69HighGI:70orhigherAccordingtoDiabetes.co.uk,aglobaldiabetescommunity,thisinformationhelpsdeterminewhichfoodscankeepyourbloodsugarlevelconsistent,meaningthatyouavoidthehighsandlowscausedbybloodsugarjumpingtoohighandquicklydropping—akathecandybareffect.Foroptimalhealth,theGlycemicIndexFoundationrecommends keepingyourdailyglycemicloadunder100.ThiswillhelpgetyourA1Cdownifyouhavediabetesandmakeyoulesslikelytoavoidunpleasantsideeffectsoflowbloodsugarcalledhypoglycemia,whichcantriggerirritability,confusion,headaches,fatigue,andevenseizures,warnstheAmericanDiabetesAssociation(ADA).Ifyourbloodsugaristoohighindiabetes,calledhyperglycemia,symptomsmayincludefrequenturination,increasedthirst,vomiting,andshortnessofbreath,theADAwarns.Keepingtheglycemicloadofyourdietinmindcanhelpyouavoiddiabetes-relatedcomplicationsaswell.Forexample,apaststudyfoundthatwhen100participantswithpoorlymanageddiabetes,whowereoninsulinororaldiabetesmedications,followedalow-glycemicloaddietfor10weeks,theylostweight,loweredtheircholesterollevels,andimprovedtheirA1C.Anothersmallpastrandomizedstudyfoundthatlow-glycemic-loadfoods,regardlessofcalorierestriction,wasmorehelpfulwithweightlossthanadietrichinhigh-glycemic-loadfoods.However,insulinsecretionwasneededtoseethebenefit."Itmakesmoresensetousetheglycemicloadbecausewhenyoueatafood,youdon’tjusteatonefoodbyitself—youeatawholebunchoffoodstogether,"saysMeyerowitz.Lookingatthetotalpictureoffoodsyoueat,ratherthanjusttheindividualpieces,givesyouaclearerandmoreaccuratepictureofthefoodsthatmakeupyourdiet.RELATED:7HealthyMealTipsforType2DiabetesGlycemicLoadandDiet:GlycemicLoadsinFavoriteFoodsHereisaglycemicloadreferencelistwithmanycommonfoodstoletyouknowwhicharelow,medium,andhigh,perUCSF.Foodswithalowglycemicloadof10orlessinclude:¼cuppeanuts(GLof 1)8ozskimmilk(GLof 4)2cupswatermelon(GLof 4.3)1cupkidneybeans(GLof 7)1cupallbrancereal(GLof 9)Foodswithamediumglycemicloadof11to19include:1cupcookedoatmeal(GLof 11.7)1tablespoon(tbsp)honey(GLof 11.9)1largebanana(GLof 12.4)1mediumdonut(GLof 17)1cupboiledbrownrice(GLof 18)Foodswithahighglycemicloadof20ormoreinclude:1cupcornflakes(GLof 21)10largejellybeans(GLof 22)1Snickerscandybar(GLof 22.1)1mediumbakedrussetpotato(GLof 23)2tbspraisins(GLof 27.3)WhyUsingGlycemicLoadIndependentlyIsn’tEnoughtoMaintainHealthKnowingtheglycemicloadoffoodisahelpfulmealplanningtool,butyoushouldn'trelyonthisrankingsystemalone.“ThereisresearchtosupportthatdiabeticpatientsbenefitfromknowinghowtoapplyGIandGLasadietaryapproachfordiabetesmanagement,butit’simportanttomentionthatvariabilityinnutritionalcontentofdifferentfoodswiththesameGIvalueisaconcern,”warnsSotiriaEverett,EdD,RD,clinicalassistantprofessorinthedepartmentoffamily,population,andpreventivemedicine'snutritiondivisionatStonyBrookMedicineinStonyBrook,NewYork.Plus,variousfactorscanchangewhereafoodranksontheglycemicindex.Forexample,somefoodswithcarbsbecomeeasiertodigestafteralongercookingtime,whichcansubsequentlyraisetheirglycemicload,saystheCanadianSocietyofIntestinalResearch.Sowhileaddinglowglycemicloadfoodscanhelpbalanceyourglycemicresponse,focusingonoveralldietaryqualityandpromotingthehealthfulaspectsofadietmaybeabetterapproachtohelpreducechronicdisease,saysDr.Everett.“Glycemicindexandglycemicloadarebothtoolstoassistwithdietandnutrition,butnottobecompletelyrelieduponasthesolesourceandguideforallmealplanning.”NEWSLETTERSSignupforourDietandNutritionNewsletter!EnteryouremailSubscribeBysubscribingyouagreetotheTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.TheLatestinDiet&NutritionHowtoCookforSomeoneonaPlant-BasedDietDuringtheHolidaysByKaylaBlantonDecember22,2021HowtoCookforGluten-FreeHolidayGuests:IngredientList,SmartSwaps,RecipeIdeas,andMoreByKaylaBlantonDecember22,202112TipsforMindfulEatingDuringtheHolidaysExpertssharetheirbestadviceforusingmindfulnesstobuildahealthierrelationshipwithfoodthisseason.ByElizabethNarinsDecember20,2021AllAboutYuzu:Nutrition,Benefits,HowtoPrepareIt,andMoreByJessicaMigalaDecember16,202110HealthyFoodGiftsRDsAreGivingThisHolidaySeasonSpoilingforgiftideas?Everybodyeats,andthesesuggestionscomewiththebonusofgoodhealth—thegiftthatkeepsongiving.ByJillWaldbieserDecember13,20217HealthyGrazingBoardsRDsAreMakingThisHolidaySeasonWhetheryou’recelebratingHanukkah,Christmas,Kwanzaa,orNewYear’s,giveyourguestssomehealthyoptionswiththesefunandfestivegrazingboards...ByStephanieThurrottDecember10,2021WhyCranberriesAreaSeasonalSuperfoodYouShouldn’tSkipByKellyKennedy,RDNNovember24,20215Fast,EnergizingBreakfaststoMakeonThanksgivingMorningTurkeyDaycanseemlikeamarathon.Thesesatisfyingmorningmealsdelivertheenergyyouneedtomakeittothefinishlinewithoutleavingyoustuffed...ByKarenAnsel,RDNNovember23,2021ThanksgivingPortionControl:9GeniusHacksRDsUseEnjoythebiggestmealoftheyearwiththesenutritionist-approvedstrategies.ByKarenAnsel,RDNNovember23,2021ThanksgivingMealSOS:8TipstoPrevent(andRecoverFrom)OvereatingTheseexperttipsandtricksforbefore,during,andafteryourThanksgivingfeastwillleaveyoufeelingfine—notinflatedandsluggish.ByJessicaMigalaNovember23,2021MostHelpful6ExpertTipsforReducingAddedSugarinYourDietWhichSugarsAreGoodforYou—andWhichOnestoAvoidFoodasMedicine:WhatItMeansandHowtoReaptheBenefits