MUMBAI: Don't just count calories, check the glycemic index of each foodstuff as well. Doctors and nutritionists want Indians to learn this new health mantra in order to check the twin epidemics of diabetes and heart diseases.
"Foods should be marked and labelled as low or high on the glycemic index (GI) so that people can make healthy choices,'' said Dr Shashank Joshi, endocrinologist and editor of medical journals.
Both calories and GI are measurements of how food affects one's metabolism. Calories is a measure of the total energy one's body receives from a food item, while GI is a relatively new concept that tells how quickly one's body can convert carbohydrates into blood sugar.
The need for GI-consciousness, say doctors, is essential if people want to watch their weight, control their blood sugar and stay healthy. "A food with high GI releases sugar instantly that could lead to fluctuations in sugar levels or increase wear and tear of tissues,'' said Dr Joshi. Low GI foods, in contrast, increase the blood sugar as well as insulin levels gradually. "We, in fact, have asked the government to make such labelling mandatory,'' said Dr Joshi.
Speaking at a seminar on "Placing the glycemic index at the centre of healthy food choices" in Bangalore on Friday, experts said that 70% of the Indian diet is made up of carbohydrates. "Hence it is important to watch the GI of the food we eat,'' said city-based nutritionist Naini Setalvad. She gave the example of rice. "Indians love longer grain but they should check on the GI of rice before buying it. Lower GI is better,'' she said.
A survey titled 'GUIDe Study' ('Glycemic Index-Usage, Interpretation in Diabetes & Well-being) released during the seminar showed that Mumbaikars were second only to Bangalore in awareness about GI. "Our survey found 50% of Bangaloreans and 47% of Mumbaikars were aware of GI,'' said Dr Priyanka Rohatgi of Apollo Hospital, Bangalore. Around 94% of Mumbai's dieticians who participated in the survey felt that GI was an important tool for reducing the incidences of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, obesity, coronary heart disease and cancer.
What is GI?
It is defined as the rise in blood glucose after eating 50 gm of carbohydrates
High GI: 70 and up.
Instant white rice, plain white bread, white skinless baked potato
Medium GI: 56 to 69.
Sweet corn, bananas, raw pineapple, raisins and certain types of ice cream.
Low GI: 55 and below.
Raw carrots, peanuts, raw apple, grapefruit, peas, skim milk, kidney beans and lentils.
"Foods should be marked and labelled as low or high on the glycemic index (GI) so that people can make healthy choices,'' said Dr Shashank Joshi, endocrinologist and editor of medical journals.
Both calories and GI are measurements of how food affects one's metabolism. Calories is a measure of the total energy one's body receives from a food item, while GI is a relatively new concept that tells how quickly one's body can convert carbohydrates into blood sugar.
The need for GI-consciousness, say doctors, is essential if people want to watch their weight, control their blood sugar and stay healthy. "A food with high GI releases sugar instantly that could lead to fluctuations in sugar levels or increase wear and tear of tissues,'' said Dr Joshi. Low GI foods, in contrast, increase the blood sugar as well as insulin levels gradually. "We, in fact, have asked the government to make such labelling mandatory,'' said Dr Joshi.
Speaking at a seminar on "Placing the glycemic index at the centre of healthy food choices" in Bangalore on Friday, experts said that 70% of the Indian diet is made up of carbohydrates. "Hence it is important to watch the GI of the food we eat,'' said city-based nutritionist Naini Setalvad. She gave the example of rice. "Indians love longer grain but they should check on the GI of rice before buying it. Lower GI is better,'' she said.
A survey titled 'GUIDe Study' ('Glycemic Index-Usage, Interpretation in Diabetes & Well-being) released during the seminar showed that Mumbaikars were second only to Bangalore in awareness about GI. "Our survey found 50% of Bangaloreans and 47% of Mumbaikars were aware of GI,'' said Dr Priyanka Rohatgi of Apollo Hospital, Bangalore. Around 94% of Mumbai's dieticians who participated in the survey felt that GI was an important tool for reducing the incidences of lifestyle disorders such as diabetes, obesity, coronary heart disease and cancer.
What is GI?
It is defined as the rise in blood glucose after eating 50 gm of carbohydrates
High GI: 70 and up.
Instant white rice, plain white bread, white skinless baked potato
Medium GI: 56 to 69.
Sweet corn, bananas, raw pineapple, raisins and certain types of ice cream.
Low GI: 55 and below.
Raw carrots, peanuts, raw apple, grapefruit, peas, skim milk, kidney beans and lentils.
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