VERY important news about your diet......

Many of my clients ask me about carbs and sugars in their diets...we've probably all heard at some point that we need to keep sugar intake low, or we've heard of low carb diets. But there are probably fewer who understand Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load in foods. Did you know that eating foods with HIGH glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) can increase your risk for many chronic illnesses such as: cancer, obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, type 2 and gestational diabetes, and inflammatory disorders. So...what exactly ARE GI and GL? In this blog we will explore their importance in the diet and how to maintain a healthy diet.

GI is used to categorize foods that are eaten with regard to their effect on the relative rise in blood sugar (or glucose). The higher the GI of a food, the faster it is expected to increase blood sugar levels. SUGAR and WHITE BREAD have the highest possible GI sccore of 100. All other foods are scored from 1-100 depending on how they compare to sugar and white bread....(I don't know about you, but that throws up a red flag to me! Sounds like we don't need to eat much sugar and white bread!) I know, they sure taste good. Don't worry, you don't have to eliminate them from your diet. We will talk below about ways to combat those high GI foods! Unlike foods with a high GI that cause spikes in blood sugar - leaving us feeling tired and hungry - foods with a low GI are absorbed SLOWLY in the bloodstream, allowing a slow and consistent rise and fall in blood sugar (our bodies prefer to be in a more 'stable' state such as this....your body functions much more efficiently with a stable blood sugar level.)

GL gives us a clearer description of HOW MUCH sugar is available from a food. GL is categorized into ranges on a scale: 0-10=low; 11-19=medium; 20+ = high. So it's best to take GL into consideration too. BUT neither GI nor GL take into account the nutrients in food, which can be very important too! Take into consideration these examples:

Carrots: HIGH GI (92) but LOW GL (4) - they release sugar into the blood stream quickly, but only have a small amount of sugar in the first place

Watermelon: HIGH GI (72) but LOW GL (4) - since watermelon is mainly water, it contains little sugar per serving

Candy Bars: with minimal nutrients, these typically have low GIs but at least MEDIUM level GLs - that means quick rise in blood sugar, and little to offer you in the way of efficient fuel

So.... I'm not saying don't eat a candy bar or other processed sweets or white breads, BUT do try to limit consumption, especially if you are trying to minimize the risk or effects of the illnesses or diseases mentioned in the begining of this post OR if you find yourself feeling sluggish during the day. Remember to eat well by consuming a variety of foods and use some common sense :O) Enjoy more whole grain foods, beans, nuts, dairy, and try to eat some protein with every meal or snack - this will help slow blood sugar level increases in the blood. Another tip is to add lemon juice or vinegar to recipes because they help slow the movement of food with regard to digestion, and that means blood sugar absorption into the blood stream will be slower. (don't worry you won't taste them if you add just a little to an entire recipe, and it won't alter the taste either - just don't dump the whole bottle in there! use a few tablespoons)

To find a list of GI/GL scores for specific foods, check out http://www.glycemicindex.com/. Check to see where some of YOUR favorite foods rank on the list. Post here about some of your favorite foods - were you surprised at what you found out?