Low GI foods

Low GI foods

The glycemic index (GI) is a tool that measures the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels , and ranks them based on this score. High GI carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall, while low GI foods are digested and absorbed more slowly, and therefore there is a slower release of glucose into the bloodstream.

Classification according to IG

The glycemic index ranks foods on a scale from 0 to 100. The GI value of a food is determined by feeding at least 10 fasting people a portion of the food containing 50 grams of carbohydrate minus fiber , and then measuring the effect on their postprandial (over the next two hours) blood glucose levels [1] [2] using the international standard method (ISO 26642:2010) [3].

For each person, the glycemic response curve (glucose AUC) for that food is then measured over two hours [4] . On another occasion, the same people consume an equal carbohydrate portion of the sugar glucose (the reference food) and the two-hour glycemic response is then measured. A GI value for the test food is then calculated for each person by dividing the glucose AUC of the test food by that of the reference food. The final GI value for the test food is the average GI value of 10 people. The glycemic index values ​​are as follows:

High GI : 70+

Moderate IG : 56-69

Low GI : 55 or less [5]

Foods

Foods therefore have an impact on blood sugar , or glycemic index , which varies. This table shows the glycemic indexes of foods consumed regularly as part of a typical diet.

Source: https://www.elveapharma.com/

Glycemic load

If you are following a ketogenic diet , you may be surprised to see fructose, rice, apples and other fruits , as well as some starchy foods and sprouted grains in the list of low GI foods. However, according to the official classification , they would not have a strong impact on blood sugar . This is where the concept of glycemic load (GL) comes into play .

Because IG and CG are not the same thing

Blood sugar levels rise and fall after eating a meal containing carbohydrates ( proteins increase it less and fats, very little) [6]. The blood sugar value depends on the quality of the carbohydrates (the GI ) as well as the quantity .

The glycemic load combines both the quantity and quality of carbohydrates , following the following formula:

(GI x grams of carbohydrates) / 100 = glycemic load .

We use the GI of the food, the carbohydrates (minus the fiber ), and the number 100 because the GI is a scale from 0 to 100 expressed as a percentage; therefore, one unit (gram) of glycemic load is equivalent to 1 gram of glucose .

Like the glycemic index , the glycemic load of a food can be classified as low (10 grams or less), moderate (11 to 19 grams), or high (20 grams or more). The glycemic load of a meal is therefore calculated by adding the load of each of the ingredients used.

The optimal is that the glycemic load of a day does not exceed 85 to 100 [7]

Precautions

Just because a food is labeled as low GI , it doesn't mean it won't spike our glucose . In fact, from the list presented above, fructose is one of the most harmful foods for health. Although it doesn't give a glucose/insulin spike like glucose, fructose impacts the body differently.

All cells in the body can metabolize glucose , but the liver is the only organ that can metabolize fructose in significant amounts [8]. Excessive fructose consumption impairs metabolic health and contributes to insulin resistance , metabolic syndrome , heart disease , and type 2 diabetes [9] . This is because the liver becomes overloaded and converts fructose into fat , increasing triglycerides [10][11][12] . This leads to increases in blood sugar and insulin levels .

Conclusion

Foods have a glycemic index that varies. While this measurement is a tool that can be useful, you have to be careful, because foods classified as low GI , especially fructose , can be very harmful to health. Especially since the glycemic load is much more interesting as a unit of measurement of the impact on blood glucose of a meal. Beyond these classifications, following a ketogenic diet, based on the consumption of proteins, good lipids and fruits and vegetables with low glycemic content , as well as products available in specialized stores , guarantees stable blood sugar and normal insulin levels.