Drop your pounds with this tip

"Moderation in all things" Aristotle

Glycemic Index (GI) or Glycemic Load of Foods (GL), and why these indicators are important for weight loss and control.

GI indicates how quickly a food causes a spike in blood sugar compared to pure glucose. The higher the GI, the faster the spike, and the lower the GI, the slower.

Foods are classified on a scale from 0 to 100, with pure glucose being 100.

• Low GI: 0-55 (e.g., most fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains)

• Medium GI: 56-69 (whole grain products, some potatoes) 

• High GI: 70 and above (white bread, refined grains, sugar)

For a long time, dietitians couldn't understand why people eating only low-GI foods were not losing weight or even gaining weight. That's how the concept of GL came about.

GL takes into account not just the glycemic index but also the amount of carbs in the food. 

The GL is calculated as:

For example, pineapple has a high GI (66) but contains around 13g of carbs per 100g. Its GL would then be 8.58. So because of the low carb content, 100g of pineapple or watermelon won't cause a major spike in your blood sugar levels. But eating bread or pasta will cause a big spike, even if it's a slow one.

But remember, this doesn't mean you can overeat fruits or berries. Moderation is key! 

It's best to eat fruits and berries as a dessert after a main meal, not as a snack, because even small spikes in glucose and insulin are unhealthy for the body.

Why is it important to pay attention to GI and GL?

Low -GI-GL foods usually promote longer feelings of fullness, and help avoid rapid blood sugar spikes and crashes that can lead to increased appetite and calorie intake.

What's better to consider for weight loss?

The choice between GI and GL depends on your goals and diet. 

Glycemic Index: Useful for quickly assessing a food's impact on blood sugar levels. Helps avoid high-GI foods, which is especially important for diabetics.

Glycemic Load: Provides a more accurate picture of how an actual food portion will affect blood sugar levels. GL can be more useful for weight loss since it accounts for the amount of carbs in a portion.

Overall, for weight loss, focusing on glycemic load may be more helpful, as it allows you to not only avoid rapid blood sugar spikes but also accounts for the amount of carbs you're consuming at once. 

Controlling your glycemic load will help you:

• reduce the amount of carbohydrates consumed, which can help create a calorie deficit and weight loss

• avoid blood sugar spikes

Since low GL foods are mostly fiber-rich vegetables, fruits and whole their use will help improve gut health and also provide more nutrients for overall health.

Here are a few apps you can use to calculate GL. These apps will not only help you track your carb intake but also provide tools to better understand how different foods affect your body, help plan your meals, and support a healthy lifestyle.

MyFitnessPal - One of the most popular nutrition tracking apps that allow users to easily scan food barcodes, manually enter foods, and see a detailed breakdown of calories and macros including carbs.

Carb Manager - Ideal for those following a low-carb or ketogenic diet. This app allows you to track not just total carb intake but also calculate net carbs, which is important for proper meal planning.

Glycemic Index Load Diet Assistant - This app specializes in the glycemic index and glycemic load of foods. It will help users choose foods that better suit their needs for blood sugar control.

Glucose Buddy - Primarily designed for diabetics but also useful for those wanting to control carb intake. It allows you to log blood glucose levels, carbs, and activity.

Download the GI and GL cheat sheet here 👇

Each mindful small step today will become a giant leap for your well-being tomorrow.

Warm regards,
Kos