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The Glycemic Index,
a Terrific Tool for Controlling Your Carbs

Large portions of carbohydrates - or even small portions of the wrong carbs - can trigger excessive surges in that powerful hormone, insulin. Fortunately, the glycemic index is a fabulous tool to illustrate which carbohydrates are likely to cause excess surges of insulin.

When carbohydrates enter your body, those carbohydrates are metabolized into glucose in your bloodstream, raising your blood sugar levels. The job of insulin is to move in and bring the blood sugar levels down. Under normal circumstances, this is a good thing. Insulin performs a vital function in your body. It works to keep blood sugar under control. But when your blood sugar rises to excessive levels, the insulin has to find a place to put the glucose that your body doesn't need. Simply put, insulin shoves the excess glucose into your fat cells. In other words, too much insulin causes us to gain weight. Excessive amounts of any carbohydrate or even small amounts of the wrong ones can cause you to have excess insulin.

The glycemic index was devised to show the rate at which carbohydrates are released into the body. It was first created in 1981 in Canada . Dr. David Jenkins developed the index as a way to help diabetics choose food. It was a controversial concept, but over time has become a clinically proven tool for choosing foods that control blood sugar levels. Scientists now understand that all carbohydrates are not the same and that our bodies do not treat them in the same manner. For example, one-half cup of mashed potatoes can send your insulin levels surging, while one-half cup of lentils has very little effect on your glucose levels. Not only that, but the lentils will not leave you hungry thirty minutes later and will not induce those dreaded carbohydrate cravings.

Two different glycemic indexes have been developed by scientists. One uses glucose as the benchmark of 100. The other places white bread at 100. Both rank foods according to the rate at which they are released into your body. Either is acceptable to use. As a general rule, just stay on the lower half of the scale when making your choices. (I personally try to stay below 60 on the glucose-based Glycemic Index.) The higher the number on the glycemic index, the faster the carbs are released. The carbohydrates that release quickly into the body are the ones that cause sudden surges in insulin. Over time, those high surges of insulin can cause the body to become insulin resistant. Over more time, that insulin resistance can lead to diabetes and other related illnesses*.

Researchers determine the GI (glycemic index) of a food by feeding a set amount of that food to a group of people. Their blood sugar levels are measured before eating, then again several hours later. Averages are then take for the rise in the participants' glucose levels to determine the glycemic index of that particular food. Because the GI is an average, you need to be aware that the glycemic index of a food can be highly individual. The glycemic index is a terrific guide. But it is also important to be aware of the way your own body responds to a particular food. If you notice that one of the lower glycemic carbs causes you to gain weight or brings on the carb cravings, then you know that you need to leave that carbohydrate out of your diet.

Portion size does matter. Even though a carbohydrate may be on the lower half of the index, large portions of that carbohydrate can still trigger excessive insulin surges. This is especially true of the carbs that are in the middle of the index.

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