Glycemic Foods That Are Good For You
In 1981, the Glycemic Index made its appearance on the diet scene and since then, it has formed a kind of a basis for many a diet including the South Beach Diet. What this index tells you is how long it takes for carbohydrates to get digested and absorbed into the blood. When you take a look at the Glycemic Index, you find that the ones that quickly show up in your bloodstream are the ones you need to avoid. This is true not just for people suffering from diabetes but also for those who want to restrict their carbohydrate intake.
Once you've eliminated the bad carbs, it's time to look for the good ones. Which ones are they? The good glycemic foods are absorbed into the bloodstream very slowly and this means that the glucose levels in the blood do not shoot up suddenly. Whether you are afflicted with Type I or Type II diabetes, it is difficult to digest carbohydrates and this means that there is excess glucose more often than not in the blood. So carbohydrates really are avoidable for a diabetic but when they happen to be low down on the glycemic scale, they do not cause much worry.
The Glycemic Index was put out in 1981 at the University of Toronto and on this index, the ones that score low are the ones that are good for you. Sure, they still qualify as carbohydrates but they are definitely preferable to the high rated ones. It is to avoid the complications that the ones high on the glycemic index bring on that substitutes especially for sugar were introduced.
Many of the healthy foods like vegetables and fruits rate low, even though fruits contain quite a bit of sugar. However, these sugars take a longer time to get absorbed into the system so they are not as dangerous to a diabetic as the highly rated ones like the white flour products or white sugar. Furthermore, fruits also are a great source of nutrients. One vegetable that does get rated high on the index is the potato and this should be avoided.
While white flour which has been refined is to be avoided, unrefined and wholegrain flour is very good. So pastas or bread made out of this are good glycemic foods. Switching to wholegrain products could be best in a household that has a diabetic so there is no temptation of white flour products left lying around. What's more, this is good, healthy food for everyone else too.
So rather than throw out all the carbohydrates possible, it is better to practice prudence and leave out only the foods that rate high on the Glycemic Index. With a combination of the doctor's medicines or insulin, a good diet and exercise, diabetes can very easily be managed.