The glycemic index of foods your child eats could be the reason that sometimes their blood sugars are out of control, without a logical explanation. The glycemic index ranks carbohydrate-rich foods according to how much they raise blood sugars. It gives a 50-gram serving of a particular food a number, with glucose being the standard, at a GI of 100. White bread, with a glycemic index of 72, will send your child’s blood sugars skyrocketing more than ice cream, with a GI of only 38. Proponents of using the glycemic index believe that eating a
low-GI diet helps keep glucose levels down. In 1983, The New England Journal of Medicine reported that all carbohydrates raised glucose levels, not just sugar, which set the stage to determine exactly how much individual carbs raise BGs-the glycemic index. Controversy, however, still surrounds the glycemic index. The ADA believes it's hard to bring the glycemic index into the homes of people with diabetes. "Take a potato, for example. You have its glycemic index. But, when it’s eaten, how big is it, and how it’s prepared all affect how it will raise blood sugars."
Peter Lodewick, MD, stresses self-testing to determine how you can use the glycemic index for self-care. Test blood sugars before eating something, then test again afterwards, to see how it affects your child. A high-GI food, may require an extra one or two units of fast-acting insulin, but you should not do this unless you know this food well, and you've tested how much it raises your child’s glucose level. Scientists are learning more about how the glycemic index should come into play when people with diabetes are working out. A study in the January 1999 Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise comes from San Jose State University, where 10 experienced bikers were given high- and low-GI meals before exercising. The bikers reported that the high-GI meals made them tired more quickly. Plus, the high-GI meals tended to
give a quick shot of energy in the beginning but left them with little energy at the end, whereas the low-GI foods gave them a more even stream of energy that lasted until the end. From this example, the researchers say that low-GI foods before exercise may positively affect maximal performance. The real value is that it tells us we have to individualize meal plans.
For a chart of foods with their glycemic indices refer to the CWD Winter ’99 Newsletter or borrow “Stop the Rollercoaster” from our CWD library Stop the Rollercoaster addresses the
glycemic index and many other topics on blood sugar control.
see "Diabetes Links" in the forum area for a full list of products
