Glycemic index and glycemic load

Many people start their adventure with physical activity do not realize how important role nutrition plays in everyday life. Today I would like to explain the sense of the glycemic index and glycemic load and why it is so important in planning a diet.

Glycemic index

The glycemic index (IG) rate of change in blood glucose after eaten carbohydrates. It is used to plan the diet of athletes, both professional and amateur, suffering from diabetes and to regulate weight. It was noticed that after eating carbohydrates, i.e. all sweets, honey, cooling drinks, potatoes, bread and many others, the body digests them quite quickly, which is the reason for a significant increase in blood glucose. As a result of providing the body with too much energy that it cannot use directly, it is converted into fat! Thanks to the aforementioned IG we are able to control and maintain a constant blood sugar level. In order to reduce body weight and lose body fat, the most beneficial solution is to consume carbohydrates with a low glycemic index.

Below is the glycemic index of selected products.

Glycemic index of selected products

Glycemic load

The concept of glycemic load was introduced for precise composition of meals. It means the percentage of carbohydrate in the product and its bioavailability. However, it is not enough to just know that any product has a high GI and should not be consumed. For example, if a carrot has an IG 90 we would have to eat about 1 kg to significantly increase blood sugar levels.

Summary

To sum up, composing our meals, try to use products with a low glycemic index. If we already use products with high GI, remember how they affect our body.