- May. 11, 2006
- Glycemic 101
Glycemic index (GI) seems to be all the rage again! Will it be the next Atkins? Maybe the next big diet phenom? Doubtful. GI's been around for years and it just keeps coming back.
People who are gung-ho about following the glycemic index eating plan believe that all their foods must fall in the low category. But really, there's a time and a place for low, medium and high glycemic foods—a bit of a confusing concept.
The good news is that when people glom onto GI, they begin eating all sorts of nutritious foods associated with a GI-based eating plan—a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good fats and less refined grains to name a few.
But what's confusing is that not all low-GI fare is healthy. High-fat candy bars and donuts for example are low GI & REALLY high in fat whereas carrots have a high GI. Does this mean that donuts and candy bars, which are full of saturated fat and high fructose corn syrup, are better for you than carrots? Hardly!
My nutritionist self is not ready to chuck the glycemic effect of food just yet. There's something to it and it's a good measure for athletes when choosing the right performance foods before, during and after an endurance event.
Or you can bag glycemic talk altogether and just use common sense as your guide—fruit, whole grains, healthy fat, fiber, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meats, legumes—variety & portion control are key. By the way, if you're looking for help in the area of portion control, I just bought these great bowls! Love them!
People who are gung-ho about following the glycemic index eating plan believe that all their foods must fall in the low category. But really, there's a time and a place for low, medium and high glycemic foods—a bit of a confusing concept.
The good news is that when people glom onto GI, they begin eating all sorts of nutritious foods associated with a GI-based eating plan—a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good fats and less refined grains to name a few.
But what's confusing is that not all low-GI fare is healthy. High-fat candy bars and donuts for example are low GI & REALLY high in fat whereas carrots have a high GI. Does this mean that donuts and candy bars, which are full of saturated fat and high fructose corn syrup, are better for you than carrots? Hardly!
My nutritionist self is not ready to chuck the glycemic effect of food just yet. There's something to it and it's a good measure for athletes when choosing the right performance foods before, during and after an endurance event.
Or you can bag glycemic talk altogether and just use common sense as your guide—fruit, whole grains, healthy fat, fiber, vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meats, legumes—variety & portion control are key. By the way, if you're looking for help in the area of portion control, I just bought these great bowls! Love them!
- Posted by:
- Tara, the RD
- Category:
- Food Matters
- Add A Comment
Glycemic index does matter - especially when you are pregnant. PLEASE come out with a Luna bar that’s not as sweet as the others and not made from products such as slenda.
Thanks.
Sorry it’s taken me a few days to reply, but I just returned from 2 straight days of being surrounded by pregnant women, OBs, doulas, and prenatal yoga instructors to discuss maternity related nutrition concerns.
I do feel GI has some merit in fine tuning meal plans but it has many flaws that have yet to be worked out.
When you’re pregnant, keeping your blood sugar levels steady is important for your energy level and reducing nausea. Choosing the right portions and right types of carbohydrates is critical. GI can help guide your choices but should not be your sole means of choosing foods (i.e. my carrots & donuts example).
LUNA doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners like Splenda; but if you’re looking for a bar that tastes less sweet, or contains less sugar, maybe give MOJO or ZBaR a try.
Be well!
What is the actual glycemic index rating for Clif Nectar Dark Chocolate bar (my fave)? I noticed it says “Low Glycemic” on the packaging, though your blog says Clif bars are medium glycemic, and I don’t see where it says what the actual GI rating figure is.
In wellness,
Mary Ann
My question is identical to Mary Ann’s question posted Oct 17, 2006. If you could post the criteria/process/laboratory used to determine that the CLIF Nectar bars are Low Glycemic, it would be very helpful. Thanks, I’ll keep checking back.
Hey there Mary Ann and DT,
Apologies for not writing a response until now--three months later. Here’s what Jeff, in Consumer Services, had to say about the GI of nectar bars:
“At this time we do not have the specific GI for Dark Chocolate & Walnut because not all of the flavors have been tested. We did test Cinnamon Pecan which has a GI of 33 and Lemon Vanilla & Cashew, which has a GI of 48. Due to the formulation of each nectar bar being similar, the GI for the flavors will range between 30 and 55.”
I hope that helps and again, apologies for the very late response. Let me know if you’ve got any more questions. Keep reading the blog!
~amy
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What is the glycemic index rating for your Mojo Bars? The website says they are “low glycemic”, so I assume they are 55 or lower. Thanks!
What is the glycemic index for the regular line, and the luna line? The package says medium, and low, respectively, but 20 grams of sugar seems like a lot for “medium.” Thanks!