There is no doubt that type 2 diabetes
is an epidemic in North America. Every year the number of people with
this disease rises dramatically – and it does not appear to be slowing
down. How can we protect ourselves against this trend? It is only with
the vigorous application of the 10 Essentials for Health and Wellness.
Essential #4 encourages us to eat nutritiously. This requires a little
education concerning the difference between a nutritious food and an
“empty calorie.” Much of the information about the way particular foods
impact diabetes is found in the Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load.
Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
Several years ago a group of researchers decided to create a chart
based on the impact of carbohydrates on a person’s blood sugar. This
would help people with diabetes
select foods that would have the least impact on their disease. The
Glycemic Index (GI) measures the impact of foods on blood sugar when
compared to pure sugar: glucose. The higher the GI number, the greater
the impact on blood sugar and the worse a food was supposed to be for a
person with diabetes. Later, the GI was used as a tool for weight loss and cardiovascular health.
Glycemic Load is a way of refining the information of the Glycemic
Index to find a truer nutritional value for food. For instance, the
Glycemic Index may rate the carbohydrate value in a food as very high.
This would seem to make the food unacceptable for people who want to
restrict sugar. The Glycemic Load gives us a more global value of your
food beyond sugar content.
Glycemic Load takes into account the fiber, fat and water content of a food. Let’s take the example of parsnips:
Parsnips are creamy-colored root vegetables in the carrot family. They
are delicious and have therapeutic value as well. Parsnips have a GI
rating of 97, compared with pure glucose at 100. That would seem to
make parsnips “bad” – unacceptable as a healthy carbohydrate source.
However, parsnips contain so much fiber and water, as well as protein
and fats, that they have only a tiny impact on the total load of
carbohydrates (the Glycemic Load). Because of their protein and fat,
they help keep your appetite satisfied for so long that you may even
eat less at your next meal. So, parsnips are really very healthful
despite their high GI number.
Potatoes have become taboo in most low-carb diets.
Yet, potatoes have attributes similar to parsnips. They are good for
you as long as you don’t deep-fry them and load them with bacon, sour
cream, gravy, cheese and other high-calorie, high-fat condiments.
Compound carbohydrates – the true “bad” carbs
Though many fruits and vegetables are high on the Glycemic Index they
are “good” complex carbs because they are low in Glycemic Load. Refined
starches, such as pastries, pastas, pudding and pancakes, as well as
gravies and similar sauces are a different story.
These foods:
- Contain low amounts of water and fiber
- Contain high amounts of “bad” carbohydrates and bad fats
- Quickly turn to sugar in your bloodstream
- Trigger insulin and inflammation
- Increase your risk of heart disease, obesity and diabetes
These are truly sources of “bad” carbohydrates. They are examples of
“compound” carbohydrates: foods which have been processed beyond
recognition from their original whole food sources. They are never good
in any amount.
Diabetes epidemic
In conclusion, the way to place yourself in the lowest risk category for type 2 diabetes is to eat whole foods which minimally impact your blood sugar. But that’s not all; did you know that stress alone may cause diabetes? Breathing deeply breaks the cycle of stress. And, since type 2 diabetes and obesity are related, getting enough sleep is essential. Add in the lessons from all
10 Essentials and you have a bulwark of protection against the epidemic of type 2 diabetes.
Learn More...
- Low Glycemic Diet
- Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is similar to honey, but with a lower Glycemic Index. For
example, honey is between 55 and 85, depending on how many solids
remain in the honey. Agave nectar is as low as 27. This means that
Agave nectar absorbs slowly into the bloodstream, which allows your
body to allocate it to the appropriate areas. Since it’s four times
sweeter than sugar you can use a lot less when using it as a sweetener.
