How useful is Glycemic Load as a health indicator?
It is useful in determining risks to certain types of cancer. A large nationalWomen’s Health Study shows that women with the highest glycemic load arenearly three times as likely to develop colorectal cancer in the next eightyears than those with the lowest glycemic load. In an earlier study, menand women with the highest glycemic load were 80 percent more likely to developcolon cancer compared to those with the lowest load. A high glycemic load may also raise the risk of uterine and stomach cancerby 24 to more than 100 percent, compared to those with lower glycemic loads.Researchers think that diets that repeatedly raise blood sugar levels causeinsulin levels to soar. Insulin and insulin-related growth factors, in turn,appear to promote the development of some cancers.
