What is glycemic load and how is it different from the glycemic index of foods?

Sugars in foods with a high glycemic index are absorbed very quickly. and for that reason they may seem less advisable. But knowing the glycemic load allows you to correct that first impression. Do you know what glycemic load is??

The glycemic load indicates the amount of glucose that reaches the blood after eating foods with carbohydrates and also the speed to the one who does it. It is a fundamental question in nutrition, which has dragged on decades of research.

Knowing this information is essential especially for diabeticsbecause when eating foods with a low glycemic load, glucose release in the blood is produced gradual.It is also important information for athletes because low glycemic load foods increase stamina and high glycemic load foods and beverages replenish muscle glycogen after the exercise.

What is glycemic load?

In 1981, Dr. David Jenkins created the so-called glycemic index (GI), which measures the glycemia or increase in blood glucose after eating a food.

Traditionally it has been considered a useful tool that guides the body’s metabolic response to carbohydrates.

It has been observed that diets with low glycemic index foods glucose levels drop after eating improve insulin sensitivity.

However, the index does not take into account a fundamental aspect: the amount of carbohydrates ingested.

It was not until 1997 that researchers from Harvard University introduced the term glycemic load of food. Measure It takes into account both the quality of carbohydrates and their quantity. It is defined as the product of the amount of carbohydrates in the serving and the glycemic index of the food, divided by 100 (the reference value of the glucose glycemic index).

What does the glycemic index have to do with energy level?

The nutrients we ingest cause an elevation of the insulin level in the blood that can be measured and constitutes the so-called glycemic index (1G).

This represents the rate at which each meal eaten releases glucose. It is calculated in values ​​from 0 to 150, with glucose having a value of 100.

The carbohydrates that are assimilated quickly have the highest GI, raising the blood sugar level rapidly, while those that release glucose more slowly have lower GIs.

It has been proven that foods that release glucose more slowly and therefore make energy available to the body for a longer time, are preferable and have a positive effect on both prevent the risk of diabetes as in the control of obesitybecause less energy is deposited as fat.

The whole-grain foodsespecially cereals tend to have a lower GI than industrial refineries. White rice, for example, has an index of 72; the integral, of 66.

It is also usually low in legumes (9 lentils) and in most fruits (39 per apple), since its sugar, fructose, has an index of only 20.

Glycemic index and glycemic load: differences

The index indicates only the speed of absorption of the type of carbohydrate of a food, but not of the food.

Thus, a turnip and a croissant, with similar glycemic indices, produce a different rise in blood glucose because the amount of carbohydrates in the turnip is lower. You also have to take into account the portion.

For example, white rice and beets have the same glycemic index (64), since their carbohydrates are absorbed at the same rate in the body.

But since the carbohydrate content of these foods is different (7% in the case of beetroot and 86% in that of rice), their glycemic loads are also disparate: 55 in the case of raw white rice and 4 in the case of beets.

How to interpret glycemic load?

In general, when a food has a low glycemic load, its glycemic index is also low. But the data not always are equivalent when the glycemic load is medium or high.

However, it is still recommended that carbohydrates make up the majority of the energy source in the diet between 55 and 60% of the total caloric value, and most of them come from foods that do not cause noticeable blood sugar spikessuch as legumes and fiber foods.

How can the glycemic load in the diet be reduced?

consuming low glycemic index carbohydrates (legumes, fruits, oats and pasta) and substituting foods with a high glycemic index for others with a lower index, for example, bread with cereals instead of white bread.

Does it influence if the food is combined with another?

A lot. Most foods with carbohydrates are consumed as part of a meal (bread with oil, potatoes with fish and vegetables…), and this It influences your glycemic profile.

It is recommended combine them with fats and proteins, that slow down significantly The digestion of food and reduce its glycemic load

How does a high glycemic load affect?

The higher the glycemic load of a foodthe more blood glucose rises and, therefore, the greater its insulinogenic effect.

Many authors subscribe that in the long term a diet with a relatively high glycemic load is associated with a increased risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary ischemic disease.

Is glycemic load related to body weight?

There is controversy about it since there are no studies with conclusive data.

However, it is important to remember that foods with a low glycemic load give a greater feeling of satiety and produce a lower secretion of insulin, a hormone that favors the increase in body fat deposits.

What factors affect glycemic load?

They are many and varied: fiber that contains food the cooking... and also your structure.

For example, whole wheat grains are relatively resistant to digestionbut ground and baked they are easy to digest. For this reason, white bread has a high glycemic index and that of various cereals, a medium one.

Should a high glycemic load be avoided?

Foods with a high glycemic load should not be systematically rejected.

All food is a complex entity, and When evaluating it, one must also take into accountFor example, its energy densitythe amount and type of fats you have, the amount of cholesterol, of fiberits content in micronutrientsits proportion of salt…

Food Glycemic Load Chart (Raw)

Key to the glycemic index: Bold font: Elevated | Italics: Medium | Normal: Low

flaked corn 68.0Honey 67.8White sugar 58.8White rice 55Integral rice 50.8Raisins 42.2Spaghetti 41White bread 40.0swiss muesli 39.6 Whole wheat spaghetti 30.2 Chocolate 27.4 Whole wheat rye bread 20.5 Chickpeas 19.8 Beans 15.2 Lentils 14.0Cooked potatoes 12.6Banana 12.4Grape 7.2Green peas 6.6Apple 4.5Pear 4.1Beet 4.0 Peach 3.7 Orange 3.6 Carrot 3.4 Grapefruit 1.9 Whole milk 1.7 Yogurt 1.4 Peanuts 1.3 Soy 1.0