- Lorenzo Pérez Castillo, author of 'Mediterranean Diet, eternal youth' "We cannot forget the pleasure of eating: a paella or an oily fish floured and fried in extra virgin olive oil are healthy and even necessary"
- Interview Dr. Cidón Madrigal: "Intermittent fasting is not designed to lose weight, even if it helps you lose weight"
The glycemic index is not only important for diabetics. This marker measures the impact of a certain food on blood sugar concentration. In addition, it varies depending on the cooking and preparation methods.
What is the glycemic index
The glycemic index is an index that measures the speed at which the concentration of sugar in the blood increases, known as glycemia, after the intake of a certain food that contains carbohydrates such as white bread or pasta.
Therefore, it tells us what impact a certain food has on glycemia. Foods with a high glycemic index cause a spike in blood sugar levels called the "glycemic spike."
How to know the glycemic index of foods?
There are tables that show the glycemic index of various foods. However, Ilaria Prandoni, a biologist and nutritionist at the Palazzo della Salute of the San Donato Group, advises looking further.
"
It is best to consider the "glycemic load" of the food, which takes into account not only the glycemic index but also the amount of carbohydrates contained in the food consumed. The index can also change depending on the cooking methods and food combinations we make," he explains.
Who needs to keep glycemic load under control?
This aspect is not only important for diabetics. A diet with low glycemic load also seems to help reduce overall inflammation and this protects against many chronic degenerative diseases.
"The real impact of the glycemic index on health is still being studied," Prandoni says, "but opting for low-glycemic foods can be a valuable help for a person with diabetes or fasting blood glucose disorders."
Do you need to know the glycemic index of foods?
Sharp fluctuations in blood sugar levels are harmful to everyone. We must try to avoid them by making sure that all nutrients act in synergy to contain the glycemic peak.
"Knowing the glycemic index can be useful for a healthy person who wants to prevent the onset of diseases, but it is also a valid parameter in a weight loss diet: it keeps under control the production of insulin, the anabolic hormone that can make you gain weight when it is not controlled," says the specialist.
Does it make sense to establish a diet according to the glycemic index?
Although it is not widespread, there is a slimming diet called "glycemic index", is it useful? "I don't recommend it," says the expert.
"The glycemic index is one parameter among many others, which must be used with knowledge of the facts because it can lead to the error of excluding a priori certain foods because they are classified as 'high glycemic index' when in reality, if they are consumed in moderate portions and with certain rules (which we will talk about in the following sections), They can be included without problems in the daily diet, even in a hypocaloric one, "he explains.
Find out more
Interview.
These are the 10 best foods to have younger skin
- Writing: CRISTINA GALAFATE
These are the 10 best foods to have younger skin
Welfare.
Do they help to lose weight? Shall we return to sugar? Is Stevia Healthier?: Here's What You Need to Know About Sweeteners
- Writing: GEMA GARCÍA MARCOS
Do they help to lose weight? Shall we return to sugar? Is Stevia Healthier?: Here's What You Need to Know About Sweeteners
Are food tables enough?
As already mentioned, separate foods have a certain glycemic index, but we usually eat them combined and the glycemic index is influenced by many factors.
"Rather, it is useful to build balanced meals," explains the nutritionist, "so that all the nutrients together (carbohydrates, fiber, good fats, proteins) help slow down the absorption of glucose in the intestine."
How to cook pasta, rice and potatoes?
The glycemic index varies depending on the cooking and preparation methods. Take the example of rice and potatoes, classified as high-glycemic foods: both are high in starch and cooking increases their glycemic index. Eating cold potatoes or rice is better than eating them freshly cooked," advises Prandoni, "then, if we add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and vegetables, the glycemic load is further reduced."
The cooking of the pasta also follows the same criteria: al dente is better and the shape also influences: better elongated'.
Do the right combinations help us lose weight?
It has been shown that a dish of wholemeal al dente pasta with vegetables and fish has a much lower glycemic load than white pasta with oil, perhaps overcooked and with a lot of cheese on top.
"That's why we talk about the glycemic load of the whole meal," clarifies the specialist. The best option is to eat more complete meals, with fiber.
In clinical practice it happens that people who follow a balanced diet tell me "I eat a lot but lose weight" and others who say they eat little and gain weight, but maybe that little is a normal pasta dish at 10 o'clock at night. "
What is the general rule?
"
Foods with a high glycemic index should not be eaten alone, to counteract their "negative" force.
The rule is to put fiber and other macronutrients next to carbohydrates, especially good fats: olive oil, avocados, oilseeds, nuts.
"It's best to choose whole grains, eat them cold, and avoid foods that contain added sugar," Prandoni said.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Learn more