New Delhi: The concept of eating nutritious food is closely related to the practice of cutting down on sugar. What is really needed to talk about is glycemic
load (GL), because it offers a far more accurate picture of how food affects our blood sugar. While “low-GI foods” have become a buzzword, GL takes into account both the quality and the quantity of carbohydrates. That makes it especially crucial for Indians, whose daily meals are typically high in carbs.
What is glycemic load?
In an interaction with News9Live, Dr Amrutha Gowri, Nutrition and Lifestyle Management Expert at My Balance Bite, explained what glycemic load is, and also shared some Indian meal ideas that do not cause sudden blood sugar rise and fall.
Glycemic load clarifies the confusion about two foods having the same glycemic index but possibly affecting the body differently. It calculates the glycemic index (how fast a food raises blood glucose) together with the number of carbs in an average serving. Let us take one example: watermelon has a high GI and a low GL because the amount of it that we consume is usually small. Conversely, a large portion of white rice – even if it has a moderate GI – will have a high GL and thus causes blood sugar to increase substantially. The difference here is essential in India, where the size of food portions is generally big, and carbohydrates make up the majority of the meal.
At present, India is experiencing a rapid increase in insulin resistance and early-onset type 2 diabetes. It is predicted that one out of six Indians is either diabetic or pre-diabetic. What is most surprising is that a great number of these people consider that they eat “normal home food.” The biggest danger is not the rare indulgence but the daily undetected meals that cause repeated spikes, thus the body slowly seizes its insulin response.
Understanding GL gives people the power to put together diet plans that fit their metabolism instead of going against it. Low glycemic load meals are usually composed of cereals or millets, vegetables that are rich in fibre, good quality proteins, and healthy fats. These foods make digestion slower, insulin calmer, and appetite controlled.
Small and manageable food choices may bring forth quite noticeable changes. If 60-70% of fully polished white rice is substituted with semi-polished rice, brown rice, or millets, the glycemic load will be lowered considerably without sacrificing the level of comfort. In the same way, whole wheat rotis enriched with added fibre (e.g., psyllium husk or besan) will lower carb density in general. Unpolished dals, beans, and legumes contain more resistant starch; thus, glucose release is slowed. Simple things like putting a salad or a bowl of curd before the main food can also help in lessening glucose spikes after a meal.
Meal timings
Timing of meals is yet another underestimated factor. Studies indicate that if meals are taken at regular intervals and large late-night dinners are avoided, insulin sensitivity improves. Indians are known to eat their heaviest meals in the evenings due to work schedules. Bringing calories forward during the day and having a lighter dinner can reduce the total glycemic load for the day by a great deal. Besides that, short walks after meals help to a considerable extent in glucose-lowering lowering even if the duration is just 10 minutes.
In the end, figuring out glycemic load enables Indians to look at daily meals through a scientific lens, and thus they can come up with new ideas. Slow-digesting food selection, pairing carb intake with protein and fibre, and making sure that portion sizes are not too big are some of the ways we can keep glucose spikes at bay without giving up culturally significant comfort foods. It is not a matter of necessity that a restriction be imposed; rather, the goal is to eat more wisely. And in a country where diabetes is emerging younger and faster than ever, knowing about glycemic load might just be one of the most potent health decisions made by a single person.
