Can glycemic measures help you make smart carb choices?
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD WebMD Weight Loss Clinic – Expert Column Reviewed By Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD/LD Low glycemic, high glycemic … If you pay any attention to nutrition news, you’ve heard these terms more and more lately. But what does it all mean? And is the glycemic index or GI — essentially, a number that says how much your blood sugar rises after you eat a particular food that contains carbohydrates — really the be-all, end-all to nutrition and health? Well, not exactly. High-GI foods (generally, things like white bread and white rice) give you a quick blood sugar boost that also fades quickly, leaving you hungry again. Lower-GI foods (think whole grains, produce, and beans) keep you feeling full longer as your blood-sugar levels rise more slowly. But many researchers don’t consider the glycemic index a valid tool. That’s because it’s based on how blood sugar rises in response to one particular food, such as carrots or rice. But we don’t sit down to just a bowl of carrots
