What Is the Glycemic Load?To understand the glycemic load you must first understand the glycemic index. The glycemic index measures how quickly a food metabolizes into sugar in our bodies. The glycemic load considers the "load" or stress on your pancreas from the amount of the carbohydrate in the food. It's possible to eat too much of a low glycemic food and get fat. Portions do matter! The GL as it is sometimes called is caused by eating high glycemic foods or eating too much of a low glycemic food making your blood sugar rise rapidly. This turns off the hormonal process that converts stored fat to energy. It can remain turned off for several hours after you have eaten. This creates low energy and that sluggish feeling that is caused by an abnormal insulin response. This is why we get fat - eating the wrong foods (high glycemic) or overeating the right foods (low glycemic.)
You couldn't select a better bread for a low glycemic eating plan. Eating 1 slice for breakfast would be perfectly fine. However, if you ate 2 slices at one meal you could create a glycemic load. Juices are also an easy way to load up on too much of a good thing. Technically carrots are high glycemic but eating one raw carrot wouldn't raise your blood sugar. But it is very easy to drink an 8 oz. glass of the raw juice because carrots are so good for us, right? Yet, the volume of carrots taken to make the juice would be a glycemic load. This is why it's best not to drink any carrot or fruit juices because it is so easy to pack on calories and raise your blood sugar. Vegetable juices except for the high glycemic ones would not be a problem. In fact, most vegetables are very alkaline and juicing them is a great way to get more enzymes, vitamins and minerals. There are some glycemic researchers publishing the GL of a given food as well as the the GI. Please refer to Resources to find these indexes from the research institutes themselves. It is not really necessary to get these calculations if you are trying to lose fat or just eat in a healthy way. As long as you pay careful attention to serving sizes and serving ratios you will be able to maintain a low glycemic eating plan using the glycemic index.
Remember to eat 4 - 6 small meals or snacks throughout the day. Eat slowly, savor your food, eat with friends or family and in a pleasant setting. Stop eating when you feel nourished! It takes 10 minutes after eating before you will feel full. You will become more aware of being satisfied before you are tempted to eat too much of a low glycemic food.
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A good example of eating too much of a good thing would be Ezekiel bread which has the low glycemic seal from the Glycemic Research Institute. This means it has been tested by the institute and found to be low glycemic. This is an excellent high fiber bread that is made from sprouted grains. According to the company's online information, maltose, (the grain sugar produced during the sprouting process) is the slowest absorbing sugar in the human body. Obviously, a good choice for your bread.
