A very important part of healthy eating guidelines is to understand the role of low glycemic load foods. More correctly understanding the Glycemic Index for foods (the low glycemic food list) will allow you to use it in managing your Glycemic Load at any meal or snack and to create your own low glycemic meal plan.
In very basic terms your body seeks to maintain your blood sugar levels within a very narrow and safe range. When it rises, your pancreas excretes insulin to bring the blood sugar levels back to the safe range.
If your diet consistently gives you too many carbohydrates high on the Glycemic Index you consistently spike your insulin until eventually your body becomes “insensitive” to its own insulin and you develop Metabolic Syndrome and then Type 2 Diabetes.
Diets high in processed foods frequently produce a very high Glycemic Loading. North Americans’ reliance on processed foods is arguably a major factor contributing to the alarming rate of Type 2 Diabetes in teenagers and adults. Diets like this typically make you tired after eating and should not be part any healthy eating guidelines.
The Canada Heart and Stroke Foundation identified this so-called “adult onset” diabetes as the next “smoking” – i.e. the principal cause of heart and cardiovascular disease. About ½ of the people, who develop Type 2 Diabetes, at the time of diagnosis, have significant documentable atherosclerotic heart disease.