|
      |
||
 |
|
  |
|
Rewarding for you and us Defeat Diabetes Foundation Defeat Diabetes
Foundation 150 153rd Ave, Suite 300 Madeira Beach, FL 33708 |
DIABeducation™
Theresa Garnero, APRN, BC-ADM, MSN, CDE GLYCEMIC WINDEX Windex by itself is not of much use. You can spray it all you want on a dirty window but without a rag and a little work, it won’t get the job done. The glycemic index is similar. If you haven’t heard about the glycemic index, consider yourself lucky. Seeing through all the controversy surrounding it is bound to cloud your vision. Let’s clear the lens and give you a little perspective, compliments of stellar dietitians, including guru Marion Franz, who presented research findings at the 2006 American Association of Diabetes Educator conference. What exactly is the glycemic index? It’s the area under the post meal glucose curve that compares 50 grams of digestible carbohydrate to the same amount of carbohydrate from a standard food (usually white bread or glucose) taken by the same person. In other words, it measures the body’s response to 50 grams of one kind of food. Sounds helpful. The issue is glycemic index does not measure how rapidly blood glucose levels peak, only how long the glucose will stay in the system. Seems useful, but when was the last time you only ate 50 grams of one food type (besides ice cream)? Further complicating the matter, glycemic index is taken after fasting, when insulin resistance is at its highest. Plus, the significant variability between individuals and food types puts a big question mark on the validity of many diet books that try to interpret how the glycemic index will react. For example, rice has a standard deviation of plus or minus 38. That’s a huge difference. The glycemic index can be very misleading. Potatoes have a higher glycemic index than pizza. Pizza has many more carbohydrates per serving than do potatoes. The end result is a glycemic load (or overall glucose effect) that is much lower for potatoes than pizza. Confused? Wait! There’s more! Soft drinks and candy have a low glycemic index! The good news is the evidence shows no significant positive effect of eating low glycemic index foods. Over 20 studies showed the benefits of choosing a variety of carbohydrates and keeping them consistent, focusing on the total carbs. People with diabetes have a right to eat healthily. If your windows need cleaning or the carbohydrates on your plate perplex you, a little help goes a long way. In the carb department, ask your friendly registered dietitian to point you in the right direction. Glycemic index by itself won’t do you much good. |
  Join us on Facebook
 Costa Rica Travel Corp. will donate a portion of the proceeds to and is a sponsor of Defeat Diabetes Foundation.
 Send your unopened, unexpired test strips to:
|
 |