Glycemic Index Beefs Up Tools to Support American Diabetes Month
November is American Diabetes Month, and in support of the American Diabetes Association a new website announced an expanded list of Glycemic Index foods and tips for pre-diabetics to help manage their nutrition.
(Denver, CO) – In support of American Diabetes Month, GlycemicEdge.com announced an expansion of glycemic index foods listings within its popular glycemic index chart. In addition to providing insightful GI scores on common foods, guides have been added that help explain the benefits adopting a low glycemic diet can have on managing nutrition and controlling insulin.
The Glycemic Index is a ranking of how carbohydrates in foods affect your blood sugar levels. Popular among pre and type II diabetics, the Glycemic Index is a common sense approach to understanding “smart” carbs and sugars without the hype some other diets tend to exaggerate.
“The beauty of the Glycemic Index is its lifestyle approach to nutrition,” said Wayne Becker of GlycemicEdge.com. “It’s popular among diabetics, but is also effective in reducing risk of heart disease, encourages weight loss, and leads to an increase in energy while moderating blood sugar & insulin levels.”
With over 21 million Americans diagnosed with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, it’s one of the nations fastest growing and deadliest diseases. With teenage and young adult obesity on the rise, early warning factors for diabetes and pre-diabetics are particularly important. A common symptom and risk factor associated with diabetes is obesity.
Perhaps the most alarming statistic involving diabetes is the number of pre-diabetics. According to the American Diabetes Association, in addition to the 21 million known cases there are 54 million more Americans at risk of becoming diabetic.
Diabetics have difficulty maintaining normal blood glucose levels – which is a key component in evaluating food choices within the Glycemic Index Diet.
Followers of the glycemic index encourage adopting foods with a low GI score of 55 or lower, while minimizing high GI foods. Some surprises (good and bad) make the list, including:
- French Baguette (bread) – 95
- 1 Hamburger Bun – 61
- 1 cup Bran Flakes – 74
- Special K cereal – 54
- Milk, 1 cup – 32
- Apple – 38
- Spaghetti, wheat - 37
In addition to identifying carbohydrates and hidden sugars along with their corresponding glycemic index score, the glycemic index diet plan can also help improve food digestion. Low GI foods take longer to digest, break down without a rapid spike in insulin or blood glucose, and can actually makes you feel fuller. This can help reduce binge eating, hunger cravings, and moderates blood sugar variations.
GlycemicEdge.com has also added several informative Glycemic Index resource tools and access to meal plans and interactive glycemic index based diet programs to help new dieters get started in a safe and responsible fashion.
