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

Glycemic Load and Diet: Glycemic Loads in Favorite Foods · ¼ cup peanuts (GL of 1) · 8 oz skim milk (GL of 4) · 2 cups watermelon (GL of 4.3) · 1 ... 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&NutritionCapriSunJuicePouchesRecalledOverPossibleContaminationKraftHeinzsaidthousandsofitsWildCherryflavorCapriSunjuicepouchesmayhavebeencontaminatedbycleaningsolution.ByLisaRapaportAugust16,2022WhatAreAdaptogenicBeverages,andAreTheyGoodforYou?Botanical-infuseddrinksclaimtooffertheperksofalcoholwithoutthenegativesideeffects.Butdotheydeliver?ByLindseyWahowiakAugust15,2022WhatAreUltra-ProcessedFoods?ADetailedScientificGuideByLisaRapaportAugust15,2022WhatYouNeedtoKnowAboutMonsteraDeliciosa,the'FruitSalad'PlantTikTokinfluencersareravingabouteatingthefruitofthepopularhouseplant,buthowsafeisit? Here’swhattoknow.ByLeahGrothAugust10,2022ArePrebioticSodasGoodforYourHealth?Thesefizzyfunctionalbeveragespromiseguthealthandmore,butdotheydeliver?ByLindseyWahowiakAugust5,2022HighlyProcessedFoodsLinkedtoAcceleratedCognitiveDeclineAdultswhoconsumethemostprocessedfoodmayexperienceamuchfasterdeclineinmemoryandexecutivefunction.ByLisaRapaportAugust5,2022WhatIstheWatermelonDiet,andIsItSafe?ByStephanieThurrottAugust4,2022OatlyandPremierProteinProductsAmong53NutritionalandBeverageProductsRecalledbyLyonsMagnusThevoluntaryrecallisduetopossibleCronobactersakazakiimicrobialcontamination.ByBeckyUphamAugust4,2022CanCBDHelpYouLoseWeight?Cannabidiol-spikedproductsmakemanyhealthclaims.Here’swhatisknownaboutthepopularingredient’sroleinslimmingdown.ByKarenAnsel,RDNAugust3,2022WhatIstheAsianDiet?PotentialHealthBenefits,FoodList,MealPlan,andMoreByLaurenBedoskyJuly28,2022MostHelpfulFoodasMedicine:WhatItMeansandHowtoReaptheBenefitsWhatIstheAsianDiet?PotentialHealthBenefits,FoodList,MealPlan,andMoreWhichSugarsAreGoodforYou—andWhichOnestoAvoid