PRACTICAL BENEFITS OF LOW GLYCEMIC CARBOHYDRATES

Professor Terry Wilkin and Christina O'Riordan say...

• It can explain previously confusing high blood glucose readings e.g. a meal with rice krispies and white bread will produce a higher reading than porridge and granary bread.
• Improvements in blood glucose levels can be achieved with relatively small changes to the diet e.g. One type of rice, fruit or bread with a low GI can be chosen instead of a higher value GI food.
• More variety in the diet is possible as foods previously thought as sweet can be included e.g. Raisin toast, sweet potato, low fat ice-cream.

Factors that effect the glycemic index of a food

• Mixed Meals:
  A high GI carbohydrate food plus a low GI carbohydrate food in a meal = an intermediate GI carbohydrate glucose response.
  The addition of fat or protein to a meal will reduce the glycemic index of the carbohydrates in that meal.
• Physical form of food:
  The fibre coat around beans and seeds slows down the rate of absorption thus lowering the glycemic index of the food.
  Overcooking foods such as spaghetti and adding excess water to porridge causes the food to be swollen and this causes an increase in the glycemic index of the food (increases the rate of absorption).
• Anti – nutrients:
  Some foods contain substances such as the tannins and phytates found in soybeans and yams. These slow down the digestion of starch giving these foods a low GI.
• Second meal response:
  Regular meals have always been important for the diabetic. If the first meal is of low glycemic index, it will take a long time to absorb so that this effect may be quite substantial.
  Dietary carbohydrates influence the glycemic response of a second meal consumed during their period of absorption.

Food2live gratefully acknowledges the contribution to the website from Professor Wilkin and Christina O’Riordan. .