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The Glycemic Index and the Glycemic Load Explained

Maintaining health blood glucose levels are vital to fighting diabetes. Eating foods that cause smaller rises in blood glucose levels are important to incorporate into a healthy diabetic lifestyle. The Glycemic Index (GI) is the standard for ranking foods that cause spikes on the blood glucose levels.

The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrate foods based on their effect on the blood glucose levels on the body. All foods on the index are ranked or compared against white bread or glucose and rated or ranked on 100-point scale. In other, words white bread is marked as the constant on GI scale. The GI scale is basically broken down into 3 major tranches. 70+, 56 to 69 and 55 or less.

A ranking of 70+ is considered high on the scale. If a food ranks 70 or higher, the blood sugar rises rapidly after consumption. Some of the foods in the high range of the GI include crackers, donut and corn flakes. A ranking of 56 - 69 is considered medium. A score of 56 - 69 is considered medium and a ranking of 55 or less is low. The foods on the low end of the scale cause the blood glucose to rise is a lower increment than the medium or high scoring foods. A few examples of low GI foods include beans, sugars, fruits and most dairy products. Diabetes should incorporate into their diet low to medium GI foods.

In addition the GI, the Glycemic Load (GL) is also an important marked for examining the effect of foods on the body's glucose levels. Many consider the GL to more useful than the GI. The GL is a measurement of the quantity and type of carbohydrates consumed. The GL is an indicator how rapidly a carbohydrate turns into sugar and how much of a particular carbohydrate the food actually contains. Just like the GI, the GL has a ranking scale, too. A GL of 20 or more is high; 11 to 19 is medium, and 10 or less is low. A low GL ranking food is preferred to a high GL ranking.

Having good understanding of GI and GL values and food types makes healthy meal planning for diabetics easier. A good source for a complete list of GL and GI foods is the diabetic section of the health website Pharmacy From Home.

Suggestions for Healthy and Tasty low GI and GL Foods

Two tasty foods that are not low on the GI and GL, but also provide scientifically proven health benefits include the wild blueberry and tart cherry. The wild blueberry ranks a low 53 on the GI scale and measures a mere 6.5 on the GL. The tart cherry, the fruit that provide natural relief for joint pain ranks low 55 on the GI scale.

Wild Blueberries are proven to help reverse age-related memory issues and problems. In Fact, research from the Peninsula Medical School and the University of Reading in England have found that a regular diet supplemented with blueberries enhanced both long-term and short-term memory at the molecular level. The antioxidants found in blueberries enhanced the existing neuronal connections in the brains cells, thus improving and stimulating communication and regeneration of neurons. A good source for wild blueberry products include Traverse Bay Farms www.traversebayfarms.com.com

Tart cherries are proven to reduce inflammation in the body and fight joint pain caused by gout and arthritis. According to Michigan State University, the antioxidants in tart cherries are natural COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitors. Tart cherries help the body to produce similar types of chemical process as non-sterodial anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). So many are looking to tart cherries for relief from arthritis and gout pain. A good source for tart cherry products include Fruit Advantage www.fruitadvantage.com

By incorporating low GI and GL foods into a wise meal plan, diabetics can manage both blood glucose levels and get the naturally healing benefits of a number of different foods.