All forms of carbohydrates are made with sugar molecules. Carbohydrates were once broken into categories according to the complexity of their molecules, or simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates, with the complex variety being much preferred for athletes and others on healthy diets. Now, however, it’s been widely acknowledged that the proper breakdown of carbohydrates doesn’t fall into two clean-cut categories.

Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index

When carbohydrates are digested in the intestine, the sugars the carbohydrates contain are released into the body. Carbohydrates with a simple molecule structure are broken down quickly and flood the body with glucose, or blood sugar. More complex carbohydrate molecules break down more slowly due to their intricate nature and release glucose more steadily over time. The faster a carbohydrate breaks down, the higher its glycemic index (GI). Slow-burning, complex carbohydrates have a lower glycemic index number.

When a high GI food is eaten, the body works to counteract the high amounts of glucose with high amounts of insulin, which helps to carry the glucose into the cells. This resulting flood of insulin can cause blood sugar lows which many people are particularly sensitive to. Slow release carbohydrates with a low GI are much more desired before workouts and as part of an ideal diet overall as they can avoid the wide swings of blood sugar and insulin. Foods with a score of 70 or higher are defined as having a high glycemic index; those with a score of 55 or below have a low glycemic index.

Glycemic Load

The trouble with using just the glycemic index to classify foods is that it doesn’t take into account the amount of carbohydrates in the food itself. A good example is watermelon which has a high GI thanks to the large amount of sugars but has relatively few carbohydrates per bite with so much water content. The glycemic load takes into account both the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrates in foods by multiplying them together. In general, a glycemic load of 20 or more is high, 11 to 19 is medium, and 10 or under is low.

To measure carbohydrates effectively, you must be aware of the true glycemic load – not just the glycemic index, although that is an excellent starting point in planning your meals and snacks.

Copyright 2010 Life Health Secrets