Medical News

“Glycemic load (also referred to as GL).” “Glycemic index (also referred to as GI).”

These terms sound the very similar, but in fact, they mean very different things. You hear them tossed around a lot, but what do they really mean?

The GI in effect “ranks” foods based upon how they affect your blood glucose levels. If your glucose levels rise slowly within the two to three hours after you eat certain foods, these foods are low on the GI, and if your glucose levels rise quickly within the two to three hours after you eat certain foods, those foods are ranked higher. The GI is concerned with carbohydrates, since proteins and fats don’t have the ability to spike blood glucose levels the way certain carbohydrates can.

So in essence, the GI tells you how quickly a carbohydrate is going to turn to sugar, but it is not going to tell you just how much carbohydrate is in the food you have just eaten. That duty falls to the “GL”.

With the GL, you take into consideration where the carbohydrate falls on the GI, and how much of that carbohydrate is in what you have just eaten. So for example, let’s take beets. Beets are high GI, but they have a much lower carbohydrate content when you compare them to other more carbohydrate laden foods like bread, potatoes, or pasta. Therefore, by contrast, they have a relatively low GL.

So, if a food ranks high on the GI but it has a relatively low amount of carbohydrate, it is going to have a relatively low GL, and therefore is going to have relatively little impact on your blood glucose and insulin levels. However, if a food ranks high on both indexes and is high in carbohydrates, it is something you should greatly limit or avoid, especially if you need to watch your blood sugar.

What is all this talk about the GI, anyway?

It stands to reason that those who have a particular disease like diabetes, such that they specifically need to watch their blood sugar and insulin levels, would do well to minimize foods with a high GL. However, because a lack of blood sugar control can often be a precursor to diabetes and other diseases, most people can benefit from staying relatively low on the GI and watching the GL nonetheless.

It is not just about controlling or preventing diabetes. There is also some evidence that insulin and blood sugar levels can actually encourage things like cancer development. Cardiovascular disease, too, appears to be a greater risk and those who consume diets that are high GI and GL. These higher GI foods increase insulin levels, which can in turn cause a cascade of effects that can lead to cardiovascular disease.

Specifically, high GI foods increase insulin levels, which in turn increases blood pressure, causes lower levels of so-called “good” or high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and higher levels of “bad” or low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, higher levels of triglycerides or blood fats, and increased propensity to develop dangerous blood clots.

Finally, hypoglycemia and obesity can be caused or exacerbated by eating too many higher GI foods, making them something to avoid for anyone who wants to stay healthy. An occasional treat with a is certainly fine for most people, but focus on a diet that is chock-full of nutrients, lean meats, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, beans and legumes, and so-called “good” fats like monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.