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Diet Carb and the Glycemic Index

By: Yvonne Hackett


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Previously, diet carobs were divided into several classes that were defined by its constituent or the chemical structure of the sugar molecules. Cars were divided into simple carb and complex carbohydrates and generally, most experts would favor the complex carb over the simple carb. But this does not accurately explain the functions of the carbohydrate classes and how it is transformed in the body into energy to be used by the body for all of the important functions.

A good example would be white bread and French fries. This is clearly a form of complex carbohydrate and yet it is very unhealthy for the body and contributes to excess weight gain when taken in excess. So this goes on to prove that not all complex carbohydrates are healthy. But the speed of conversion from the time of consumption to the moment it is broken down into glucose to be absorbed into the bloodstream equals that of pure glucose intake! No wonder a person gets hungry very soon after binging on a big plate of French fries! Let’s contrast this with sugar form fruits. Fructose or fruit sugar is considered simple carbohydrate but it has a very minimum effect on blood sugar. It is very apparent that the form of the carbohydrate is not a good indicator of its benefits to health and how it reacts inside the body.

So the new scale of measurement using the Glycemic Index was invented,

The Glycemic Index attempts to classify a certain type of carb food based on the speed of conversion it is transformed into glucose when it enters the body. Foods with high Glycemic index would include white bread starch, refined foods and other processed. These kinds of carb foods cause a sharp and sudden spike in blood sugar level. Foods with low Glycemic index which has a slower rate of transformation from the moment it is consumed.

Generally foods with a scale of 77 on the Glycemic index is considered high and unsafe for those who want to lose weight and foods with Glycemic count of 55 is considered low Glycemic foods.
Here are some factors that affect the food’s Glycemic index.

#1: Refinement
Foods that have been processed and refined normally have higher Glycemic index rate than the same food in its raw form; examples would be processed rice grains, wheat grains and other food items that stripped off its outer coating to leave the white endosperm inside for a more delicious taste and visually appealing effect.

#2: Starch Content
The level of starch content in the food would severely affect the Glycemic level as well. Foods with very high starch in it tend to have higher Glycemic levels as it is very easy to convert starch into sugar.

#3: Fiber Content
The higher the amount of fiber, the lower the Glycemic Index would be. Fiber is more difficult to break up into a usable form so more energy is used to process it into smaller parts.

#4: Ripeness
The ripe fruits have a higher Glycemic index than the unripe ones. This is caused by the higher sugar content in it when the fruit

#5: Fat content
The more fat the food has, the slower the carb are transformed into sugar and the slower the Glycemic index would be.

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