Scientific research concludes there are real health benefits to low Glycemic Index/Load (GI/GL) diets.
After reviewing all the latest research on glycemic index, glycemic load and glycemic response, an international committee of leading nutrition scientists have released a Scientific Consensus Statement that concludes that carbohydrate quality (Glycemic Index = GI) matters and that the carbohydrates present in different foods affect post-meal blood glucose (sugar) differently, with important health implications. A calorie isn’t just a calorie. They also confirmed that there is convincing evidence from a large body of research that low GI/GL diets reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease, help control blood glucose in people with diabetes, and may also help with weight management. They recommend including GI and GL in national dietary guidelines and food composition tables, and that packaging labels and symbols on low-GI foods should be considered. They also confirmed low GI measurements complement other ways of characterising carbohydrate foods (such as fiber and whole grain content), and should be considered in the context of an overall healthy diet.
Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health and one of the participating scientists said, ‘Given essentially conclusive evidence that high GI/GL diets contribute to risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, reduction in GI and GL should be a public health priority.’
Don’t know or remember much about Glycemic Load or Index? Read my post explaining them Here.
The University of Sydney (yep, Australia), had the BEST website about all this. Visit it at www.glycemicindex.com
And if you have questions, please send me a message!
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