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Why the Glycemic Index Doesn’t Work for Diabetics

Aug 20, 2014 | Diabetes Information, Health Information

Because not all carbohydrates are the same. Not all carbohydrates break down in the body the same way. Whole wheat bread is way different than broccoli when you eat it.

First let us clear up two different things: Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load

Glycemic Index is a numerical system of measuring how much of a rise in blood sugar a carbohydrate triggers – the higher the number, the greater the blood sugar rises.

Glycemic Load is a ranking system for carbohydrate content in food portions based on their glycemic index and the portion size.

The usefulness of glycemic load is based on the idea that a high glycemic index food consumed in small quantities would give the same effect as larger quantities of a low glycemic index food on blood sugar.

So what does that mean to a diabetic?

The glycemic index is an interesting concept but can be very deceptive for diabetics. It is based on how quickly the carbohydrates in a particular food convert to glucose and thereby raise the blood sugar levels.

For example: White bread has a much higher glycemic index than say the good whole grain bread, both still convert into sugar. Whole grain bread just converts to sugar over a longer period of time; it actually converts into more glucose than the white bread did.

As a diabetic, it is the total carb intake that the diabetic must monitor, with the glycemic index being secondary.

The “glycemic load” is an arbitrary based on observation of how taking carbs effects the people who have been surveyed, not taking into account their individual diets, activity levels, metabolic rates, etc. Not a very good measure of anything to go by.

Because not all carbohydrates are created equal we don’t recommend going by the glycemic load or index. Why would a diabetic, which is a ‘sugar’ issue, eat or continue eating foods that break down into large amounts of sugar and load up the bloodstream.

“Wouldn’t doing that still make the condition continue or make it worse?”

Yes, it would. It’s fueling the fire.

One needs to follow and put into place a low carb diet for themselves. Choose to participate in improving your health and turning around your condition. Our food guidelines will show you how to improve what you eat and our Diabetic Pack will supply your body with the needed nutrients to repair damaged cells in your body so that your blood sugar levels improve.

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