Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load?

[Rose28]

Has anyone had success with blood sugar control or/and weightloss by following either of the glycemic index or glycemic load way of eating? Which one is better?

Any good websites that anyone can recommend please?
I've been searching on Google but my heads just in a spin today!

Thanks

 

[zand]

I didn't have success with either of them but I understand that GL is better than GI because it takes the sort of quantities that one would eat into account and gives a more 'real' index.

 

[Bluetit1802]

The glycemic index is just that - an index. It gives a number but not a quantity. The glycemic load is a calculation that has (apparently) worked out a number depending on the number of carbs in the food. The calculation is the GI x carbs in that portion, divided by 100. If you do this for a whole meal, not just a single item, you have to add the total GIs and total carbs up, multiply them and divide by 100. Very fiddly.

It does work to some extent for some people. It didn't work for me. One example was a jacket potato. Very high carb and high GI. Add masses of butter and some other low GI food and the GL reduces dramatically. Sadly, the starch in the potato doesn't and still converts to glucose. Agreed the rise maybe a bit lower, but it is more prolonged. And if that rise is higher than acceptable as it would be with a jacket spud, instead of coming down quickly, it stays at elevated levels longer.

 

[Rose28]

I didn't have success with either of them but I understand that GL is better than GI because it takes the sort of quantities that one would eat into account and gives a more 'real' index.

Ok. So that's the difference between the two! I get it now. When I was searching some tables were showing just GI and on other sites the figues for the same foods was much lower figure, now that must be the GL.

 

[Rose28]

The glycemic index is just that - an index. It gives a number but not a quantity. The glycemic load is a calculation that has (apparently) worked out a number depending on the number of carbs in the food. The calculation is the GI x carbs in that portion, divided by 100. If you do this for a whole meal, not just a single item, you have to add the total GIs and total carbs up, multiply them and divide by 100. Very fiddly.

It does work to some extent for some people. It didn't work for me. One example was a jacket potato. Very high carb and high GI. Add masses of butter and some other low GI food and the GL reduces dramatically. Sadly, the starch in the potato doesn't and still converts to glucose. Agreed the rise maybe a bit lower, but it is more prolonged. And if that rise is higher than acceptable as it would be with a jacket spud, instead of coming down quickly, it stays at elevated levels longer.

I do miss potatoes! Yes, I'd read that if its eaten with, say butter and cheese, this lowers the GL of the whole meal. But I see, we still need to test...

 

[Rose28]

Both.
I low GI, but portion control, and in doing so it becomes low GL as well.
I eat to my meter, so I know what I can have without raising my BG.

I lost about 5 stones, (around 70lbs) in a year, and have my HbA1c and BG is the normal range.

Firstly congrats on your great weightloss

So, this sounds promising! Portion control and GL and testing after new foods .... Hmmmm ... Food for thought

When you started GL, did it take long to get your blood sugars in the normal range?

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

I use a form of low GI/GL. In fact, all my food is very low GI/GL, but it's probably not what you're looking for.

 

[Rose28]

I use a form of low GI/GL. In fact, all my food is very low GI/GL, but it's probably not what you're looking for.

Lol... I'm interested and listening....

Can you recommend any websites for research?

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

Well, it's no highly processed veg oil, no grains, no rice, no potatoes/starchy veg, no fruit. Just fresh veg that grows above ground. Meat (especially organ cuts), fish, poultry, full fat yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, olive oil. What I follow is close to a "primal" diet. Similar to a paleo diet but with dairy. It's pretty easy to do. Here's a good website: http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

 

[Rose28]

Well, it's no highly processed veg oil, no grains, no rice, no potatoes/starchy veg, no fruit. Just fresh veg that grows above ground. Meat (especially organ cuts), fish, poultry, full fat yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, olive oil. What I follow is close to a "primal" diet. Similar to a paleo diet but with dairy. It's pretty easy to do. Here's a good website: http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

That explains your choice of avatar!

It's a doable diet with a few vegetarian tweaks

 

[Paul59]

Has anyone had success with blood sugar control or/and weightloss by following either of the glycemic index or glycemic load way of eating? Which one is better?

Any good websites that anyone can recommend please?
I've been searching on Google but my heads just in a spin today!

Thanks

I follow Load & find it brill, I have a prob keeping weight stable as I have no need to lose weight, much the same as LCHF but more choice. it goes like this.
Carbohydrates are controversial when it comes to diet these days. But what separates the good from the bad is a food's glycemic load, which has a big impact on blood sugar levels.


Every food you eat affects your body differently, and not just in terms of your long-range health, but also in the way it is processed and the effect it has on your energy level and blood sugar.

Glycemic Load and Diet: The Basics
The glycemic load is a classification of different carbohydrates that measures their impact on the body and blood sugar. The glycemic load details the amount of carbohydrates a food contains and its glycemic index, a measurement of its impact on blood sugar. “The glycemic index ranks foods based on how quickly they're digested and get into the bloodstream," says Sandra Meyerowitz, MPH, RD, a nutritionist and owner of Nutrition Works in Louisville, Ky. “Its glycemic load takes into consideration every component of the food as a whole, so it's a different number. It changes everything."

Because the glycemic load of a food looks at both components, the same food can have a high glycemic index, but an overall low glycemic load, making it better for you than it originally might have appeared.

Glycemic Load and Diet: The Effect on Your Health
Foods with a low glycemic load keep blood sugar levels consistent, meaning that you avoid experiencing the highs and lows that can be caused by blood sugar that jumps too high and quickly drops — the candy bar effect.

Watching the glycemic load of the foods you eat can have a big impact on your health in many ways. A diet focused on foods with a low glycemic load can:

Make it easier to lose weight and avoid the dreaded diet plateau
Keep blood sugar levels more consistent
Burn more calories
Help prevent insulin resistance and diabetes
Lower heart disease risk

"It makes more sense to use the glycemic load because when you eat a food you don’t just eat one food by itself — you eat a whole bunch of foods together," says Meyerowitz. Looking at the total picture of foods you eat, rather than just the individual pieces, gives you a clearer and more accurate picture of the foods that make up your diet.

Glycemic Load and Diet: Glycemic Loads in Favorite Foods
It's tough to figure out on your own if a food has a high or a low glycemic load, but as a general guideline, the more fiber a food has the better. Here is a glycemic load reference list with many common foods to let you know which are low, medium, and high.

Foods with a low glycemic load of 10 or less:

Kidney, garbanzo, pinto, soy, and black beans
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, like carrots, green peas, apples, grapefruit, and watermelon
Cereals made with 100 percent bran
Lentils
Cashews and peanuts
Whole-grain breads like barley, pumpernickel, and whole wheat
Whole-wheat tortillas
Tomato juice
Milk
Foods with a medium glycemic load of 11 to 19:

Whole-wheat pasta and some breads
Oatmeal
Rice cakes
Barley and bulgur
Fruit juices without extra sugar
Brown rice
Sweet potato
Graham crackers
Foods with a high glycemic load of 20 or more:

High-sugar beverages
Candy
Sweetened fruit juices
Couscous
White rice
White pasta
French fries and baked potatoes
Low-fiber cereals (high in added sugar)
Macaroni and cheese
Pizza
Raisins and dates
Focusing on the glycemic load of foods is particularly important for people with diabetes to help maintain a steady blood sugar, but everyone can benefit from understanding and monitoring the glycemic load in their diet.

 

[catherinecherub]

These sites should help.
http://www.montignac.com/en/glycemic-indexes/
http://www.glycemicindex.com

There is a lot of testing to do in the beginning as there is still the problem that not all low G.I. foods are suitable as we have an individual response to different foods regardless of our diets.

 

[Paul59]

Well, it's no highly processed veg oil, no grains, no rice, no potatoes/starchy veg, no fruit. Just fresh veg that grows above ground. Meat (especially organ cuts), fish, poultry, full fat yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, olive oil. What I follow is close to a "primal" diet. Similar to a paleo diet but with dairy. It's pretty easy to do. Here's a good website: http://www.dietdoctor.com/lchf

what about carrots they are low GL but grow underground & most fruit is low GL also so when following GL you can eat them.

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

what about carrots they are low GL but grow underground & most fruit is low GL also so when following GL you can eat them.

You got me there. I eat radishes, but not carrots. I think carrots have a high glycemic index, but have a low glycemic load, since one generally wouldn't really eat all that many. I don't particularly like or dislike carrots, but I don't eat them. Maybe I'm too lazy to peel them. Turnips seem like they'd be ok as well. I think it's more starchy veg than just veg that grow below the ground that should be avoided, but I don't think there are any above ground veg that are high glycemic, but I could be wrong.

I also avoid fructose as much as practical, so I don't eat fruit. I also don't eat berries. They are too sweet for me now and don't appeal to me.

I do eat Snickers bars as they are low glycemic index...just kidding - I don't eat those.

 

[Rose28]

@Paul59 Thank you so much for explaining this in so much detail.
I'm a lacto vegetarian and very restricted with food choices.

GL looks like a much wider choice of food, that I pick and choose as a vegetarian.

I've got lots of reading to do!

Thank you

 

[Rose28]

These sites should help.
http://www.montignac.com/en/glycemic-indexes/
http://www.glycemicindex.com

There is a lot of testing to do in the beginning as there is still the problem that not all low G.I. foods are suitable as we have an individual response to different foods regardless of our diets.

Great sites, thank you... There's loads to take but I'm hopeful

 

[Paul59]

You got me there. I eat radishes, but not carrots. I think carrots have a high glycemic index, but have a low glycemic load, since one generally wouldn't really eat all that many. I don't particularly like or dislike carrots, but I don't eat them. Maybe I'm too lazy to peel them. Turnips seem like they'd be ok as well. I think it's more starchy veg than just veg that grow below the ground that should be avoided, but I don't think there are any above ground veg that are high glycemic, but I could be wrong.

I also avoid fructose as much as practical, so I don't eat fruit. I also don't eat berries. They are too sweet for me now and don't appeal to me.

I do eat Snickers bars as they are low glycemic index...just kidding - I don't eat those.

That's why following load is batter.
Glycemic Load
The glycemic load is a classification of different carbohydrates that measures their impact on the body and blood sugar. The glycemic load details the amount of carbohydrates a food contains and its glycemic index, a measurement of its impact on blood sugar. “The glycemic index ranks foods based on how quickly they're digested and get into the bloodstream, “Its glycemic load takes into consideration every component of the food as a whole, so it's a different number. It changes everything."

& as for the carrots lol, just scub & cut much easier.

 

[Rose28]

what about carrots they are low GL but grow underground & most fruit is low GL also so when following GL you can eat them.

That's good to know, because I couldn't give up my homemade carrot, apple & ginger juice, btw it doesn't cause a spike in bs

 

[NoCrbs4Me]

That's why following load is batter.
Glycemic Load
The glycemic load is a classification of different carbohydrates that measures their impact on the body and blood sugar. The glycemic load details the amount of carbohydrates a food contains and its glycemic index, a measurement of its impact on blood sugar. “The glycemic index ranks foods based on how quickly they're digested and get into the bloodstream, “Its glycemic load takes into consideration every component of the food as a whole, so it's a different number. It changes everything."

& as for the carrots lol, just scub & cut much easier.

I avoid batter. Anyway, that's all too complicated for me. My low GL plan is simply less than 50 g of carbs a day. Easy peasy. I could eat more, but I want to stay in ketosis - it's great for running. It's interesting how many different diets people are on here.

 

[Paul59]

That's good to know, because I couldn't give up my homemade carrot, apple & ginger juice, btw it doesn't cause a spike in bs

that sounds really nice. must give that ago.
You must add that to the recipies thread.