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The holidays are rapidly approaching and with them the
opportunity to consume lots of delicious food and drink at
family gatherings and other social events. One way to help
maintain a healthy lifestyle during the holidays is to eat
foods with a “low-glycemic
index”.
The glycemic index was first developed in 1981 (Medical
Reference 1) as a new method of classifying foods based on
the measurement of how dietary carbohydrates effect blood
sugar responses after eating. “High-glycemic index”
products, like white bread, have carbohydrates that are
rapidly digested and absorbed, thus causing sharp increases
in blood sugar levels. “Low-glycemic index” products,
like soy protein, have carbohydrates that are slowly
digested and absorbed, thus producing minimal rises in blood
sugar and insulin levels. The glycemic index was later
expanded to include the concept of “glycemic load”, which
accounts for the amount of carbohydrates in a serving in
order to better understand the impact of a meal or snack on
blood sugars (Medical References 2, 3) and thus improve diet
planning.
Why is the glycemic index or load of foods important?
Scientific research suggests that high glycemic diets may
increase the risk for cardiovascular disease (Medical
References 4, 5) and type 2 diabetes (Medical References 6,
7). In contrast, low glycemic diets have been shown to
improve blood sugar control (Medical References 8, 9), aid
in weight loss (Medical References 10, 11), and reduce some
cardiovascular disease risk factors (Medical References
12-14).
Soy foods generally have a low to moderate glycemic index or
glycemic load (Medical Reference 15). The low glycemic
quality of soy foods appears to be an additional benefit of
soy for human health and suggests that soy foods are an
appropriate part of diet plans intended to improve control
over blood sugar and insulin levels. Recent research
(Medical Reference 16) demonstrates that Soy
products have a low glycemic index. Delicious
bars, shakes, savoury soy nuts and soy pasta provide an easy
way to add low glycemic foods to your holiday festivities
while providing the soy protein and isoflavones beneficial
for your health and nutrition.
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Protein
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more about Soy Benefits-USA
REFERENCES:
1. Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Taylor RH, Barker H, Fielden H,
Baldwin JM, Bowling AC, Newman HC, Jenkins AL. Glycemic
index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate
exchange. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981;34:362-366.
2. Salmeron J, Ascherio A, Rimm EB, Colditz GA, Spiegelman
D, Jenkins DJ, Stampfer MJ, Wing AL, Willett WC. Dietary fi
ber, glycemic load, and risk of NIDDM in men. Diabetes Care.
1997a;20:545-50.
3. Salmeron J, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Wing AL,
Willett WC. Dietary fi ber, glycemic load, and risk of
non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA.
1997b;277:472-477.
4. Liu S, Willett WC, Stampfer MJ, Hu FB, Franz M, Sampson
L, Hennekens CH, Manson JE. A prospective study of dietary
glycemic load, carbohydrate intake, and risk of coronary
heart disease in US women. Am J Clin Nutr.
2000;71:1455-1461.
5. Amano Y, Kawakubo K, Lee JS, Tang AC, Sugiyama M, Mori K.
Correlation between dietary glycemic index and
cardiovascular disease risk factors among Japanese women.
Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004;58:1472-1478.
6. Hodge AM, English DR, O’Dea K, Giles GG. Glycemic index
and dietary fi ber and the risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes
Care. 2004;27:2701-2706.
7. Wolever TMS, Jenkins DJA, Vuksan V, Jenkins AL, Buckley
GC, Wong GS, Josse RG. Benefi cial effect of a low-glycemic
index diet in type 2 diabetes. Diabet Med. 1992b;9:451-458.
8. Jarvi AE, Karlstrom BE, Granfeldt YE, Bjorck IE, Asp NG,
Vessby BO. Improved glycemic control and lipid profi le and
normalized fibrinolytic activity on a low-glycemic index
diet in type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Care.
1999;22:10-18.
9. Jenkins DJ, Wolever TM, Collier GR, Ocana A, Rao AV,
Buckley G, Lam Y, Mayer A, Thompson LU. Metabolic effects of
a low-glycemic-index diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 1987a;46:968-975.
10. Slabber M, Barnard HC, Kuyl JM, Dannhauser A, Schall R.
Effects of a low-insulin-response, energy-restricted diet on
weight loss and plasma insulin concentrations in
hyperinsulinemic obese females. Am J Clin Nutr.
1994;60:48-53.
11. Spieth LE, Harnish JD, Lenders CM, Raezer LB, Pereira
MA, Hangen SJ, Ludwig DS. A low-glycemic index diet in the
treatment of pediatric obesity. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.
2000;154;947-951.
12. Ford ES, Liu S. Glycemic index and serum high-density
lipoprotein cholesterol concentration among US adults. Arch
Intern Med. 2001;26:572-576.
13. Liu S, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Holmes MD, Hu FB,
Hankinson SE, Willett WC. Dietary glycemic load assessed by
food-frequency questionnaire in relation to plasma
high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting plasma
triacylglycerols in postmenopausal women. Am J Clin Nutr.
2001;73:560-566.
14. Liu S, Manson JE, Buring JE, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC,
Ridker PM. Relation between a diet with a high glycemic load
and plasm concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive
protein in middle-aged women. Am J Clin Nutr.
2002;75:492-498.
15. Foster-Powell K, Holt SHA, Brand-Miller JC.
International table of glycemic index and glycemic load
values: 2002. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;76:5-56.
16. Blair RM, Tabor A, Henley EC. The glycemic index and
insulin index of selected soy foods. 6th International
Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating
Chronic Disease. October 30 - November 2, 2005, Chicago, IL.
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