Glycemic Value of Foods

The foods we eat have, among other things, the ability to trigger what is known as the glycemic response in the body. This means that after food consumption, the pancreas reacts by producing a certain amount of the hormone insulin, whose main task is to lower blood sugar. This reaction is greatest with foods containing carbohydrates (after their consumption, the blood sugar level increases after some time).

The result of this process is the storage of energy from sugars partly in the form of glycogen (sugar reserves in animals), and the rest (excess) in the body's fat reserves (therefore insulin is referred to as a lipogenic hormone). Glycemia is the third principle of the Zone of Optimal Functioning, where we teach students a holistic approach to nutrition.

There are two terms related to glycemia:

1. Glycemic Index (GI)

It is a value that tells us how quickly sugars from food are released into the blood (thus increasing blood sugar levels). The resulting GI value of a food depends on the following parameters:

1. Amount of carbohydrates in the food: The greater the content, the higher the GI value.
2. Type of carbohydrate in the food: Simpler forms of sugars (mono- and oligosaccharides) have a higher GI than complex forms of carbohydrates (polysaccharides).
3. Content of other nutrients in the food: Fiber, fats, or proteins present in food lower the GI value.

GI values are tabled into three groups:

1. Low GI: 0 - 50 - vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, mushrooms, meat, eggs, fermented unsweetened dairy products, fatty foods (butter, margarines).
2. Medium GI: 51 – 70 - potatoes, brown rice, pasta, whole grain bread, cow's milk, sweetened dairy products.
3. High GI: 71 - 100 - white rice, refined flour bread, honey, any sweets, alcohol.

The relationship applies – the higher the GI value of a food (or the greater the amount of carbohydrates consumed), the faster (or in larger quantities) insulin is released.

2. Glycemic Load (GL)

It is related to the amount of carbohydrates in the food. This value is associated with a specific formula:

GL = GI × amount of carbohydrates in grams / 100

GL values are tabled into three groups:

1. Low GL: 0 - 10
2. Medium GL: 11 – 20
3. High GL: 21 - 30

Carbohydrates are a source of quick energy. If we consume too many carbohydrates (GL), a food with a high GI, or combine both factors, the body will tend to store them as fat reserves. This will manifest not only in weight gain but also in all its consequences (increase in blood lipid levels and disorders of their metabolism including cholesterol, progressive development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, development of cardiovascular diseases).