The days of counting calories are over. The amount of ‘carbs’ (carbohydrates) we consume does not matter as much as how quickly they get digested and get absorbed into the blood stream.
The new parameter that could be checked is ‘Glycemic Index’, or ‘GI’ for short. GI is a record of the total rise in a person’s blood sugar level after consuming a particular food. GI can be used to explain how the body breaks down carbohydrates. It only takes into account the available carbohydrates (that is total carbohydrates minus fibre) in food. Although the food may contain fats and other components that contribute to the total rise in blood sugar, they do not reflect in GI. Foods with carbohydrates that break down more slowly, releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream, tend to have a low GI.
The concept was developed by scientists of the University of Toronto in 1981 in the course of their research to find out as to which foods were the best for diabetics.
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City-based endocrinologist Goutham Meher says low GI foods are suggested primarily for those suffering from Type-I diabetes. The GI of fruits is low, and, therefore, they are good for diabetics, besides being weight watchers.
Recent research has provided compelling evidence to prove that high-GI carbohydrates are associated with increased risk of obesity. A study done in 2012 showed that after weight loss, the energy expenditure was higher on low-GI diet when compared to a low-fat diet.
Scientific evidence has shown that individuals who followed a low-GI diet over several years are at a significant lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and age-related muscular degeneration.
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On the other hand, high blood glucose levels or repeated glycemic spikes following a meal may promote the above diseases by increasing systemic glycemic stress.
While the food we consume should have between 55 per cent and 60 per cent carbohydrates, carbohydrates in the rice-wheat diet in India is 80 per cent to 90 per cent. Cool drinks have the highest GI, with the entire sugar in them being absorbed immediately into the blood stream.
He said all patients of Type-I diabetes have to monitor the GI of the substances they eat or drink and those having Type-II diabetes and are on insulin must also keep a close tab on GI. “The GI of all food stuff is available on the internet, and those with smart phones could download apps that provide information,” Dr. Meher says.
GI is a record of the total rise in a person’s blood sugar level after consuming a particular food, and it can be used to explain how body breaks down carbohydrates