Glycemic Index Or Glycemic Load, What Clash And What One To Use?

By Author: Patrick Beaufay
Total Articles: 52
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The concept of glycemic index became very popular near the public, particularly in the deal of the weight loss, even if finally the use of glycemic index should in general aim at the maintenance of health. But for recall, what is the concept of glycemic index?

More one food causes a secretion of insulin quickly after its ingestion, more its glycemic index is known as "high or tall ". There exist now tables providing the glycemic index of the majority of food. It is considered that the food having an index higher than 70 should be consumed with parsimony and that the food lower than 50 is favorable to health.

But you have to take care; the glucose index in blood is influenced by the value of the glycemic index of a particular food but also by the quantity of glucids contained in the consumed portion of this food. To eat a minor amount of a very hyperglycemic food will have less effect on the glucose index in the blood, than to consume a great quantity of a food lower in glucids.

It is here that the concept of glycemic charge is, which takes account at the same time of the glycemic index ...
... of a food, but also of the consumed quantity (standard weight of a portion) and the proportion of glucids contained in the eating portion.

The glycemic charge is thus the product of the glycemic index and of the quantity of glucids contained in a portion of food /100.

For example:
- White bread with a portion of 30 gr: GIycemic index equal 70
Glycemic charge equal 10

- Whole wheat bread with a portion of 30 gr: Glycemic index equal 72
Glycemic charge equal 8

- Water melon with a portion of 120 gr: Glycemic index equal 72
Glycemic charge equal 5

- Dry grapes with a portion of 60 gr: Glycemic index equal 64
Glycemic charge equal 28

- Brown rice with a portion of 150 gr: Glycemic index equal 76
Glycemic charge equal 29

The glycemic charge allows to predict the repercussion of the consumption of certain food will have on the glycemia and consequently on the insulin answer during a meal. It is possible to calculate the glycemic load of a meal by using certain tables and while devoting themselves to certain calculations, you will agree with me that this is not the easiest manner to compose a meal!

Also it is good to put in perspective the importance of the glycemic charge. Important studies carried out by the researchers of the University of Harvard showed that the health risk presented a correlation between the glycemic index and the glycemic charge. These studies confirm that the food with high glycemic index is less beneficial for health than food with weak glycemic index. But attention, while seeking to consume absolutely a food which brings a weak glycemic charge, there is a risk to result reducing exaggeratedly glucids in general and in substituting them by food too rich in fat, which would be an error.

Anything truly counts a meal, this is not that it has a low glycemic fee for it is low glucids, except that it is wealthy glucidic nutrition additionally to weak glycemic index.

In practice it is enough simply to ensure to preferably consume food having a glycemic index that is lower than 50 and moderately food located between 50 and 70.

For aspects nutrition inducing a glycemic index over 70 they should engagement exhausted by omission or minute quantities!

Purpose the glycemic index to contrast diet of compared personality, purpose the glycemic commission if you comprehend that because a bit of diet, the glycemic index is costly whereas its satisfied of glucids is weak.

You will locate here the glycemic index table a previous commentary.