GLYCEMIC INDEX

AND
GLYCEMIC LOAD

PRESENTED BY
ANJALI RASTOGI
DIABETES EDUCATOR
SAATH7 PRO, SANOFI
The glycemic index indicates how rapidly a carbohydrate
is digested and released as glucose (sugar) into the blood
stream. ...
But the glycemic index does not take into account the
amount of carbohydrate in a food.
 So glycemic load is a better indicator of how a
carbohydrate food will affect blood sugar.
 The glycemic index (GI) is a tool to measure how
individual foods are expected to impact blood sugar
levels.
The number is a comparison between individual foods
and a sugar called glucose.
Glucose is given a value of 100.
 If the test food is assigned a value below 100, that food
is expected to impact your blood sugar less than
glucose.
If the test food is assigned a value over 100, that food is
expected impact your blood sugar more than glucose.

HIGH GI >70 INTERMEDIATE GI- 55-70 LOW GI- <55

Limitations
Portion size variation
lower GI value does not necessarily mean the food is a
better choice.
The effect of food on blood sugar can vary from person to
person.
Blood sugar levels are also affected by activity, exercise,
hormones, and medications.
glycemic effect of a food changes when it is combined
with other foods.
GI values can vary depending on the ripeness of the food,
the degree of processing, and the cooking method.
Glycemic Load is a ranking system for carbohydrate-rich food
that measures the amount of carbohydrates in a serving of
food.

The glycemic load (GL) is an equation that takes into

account the planned portion size of a food as well as the
glycemic index of that food.

It combines the Quality of the carbohydrate and the

Quantity of the Carbs portion in one no.
Glycemic Load Measurement
GL= carbohydrate (grams/serving) x GI
100
GL of a small apple
13g x 38 = 5
100
Watermelon has a high GI of 72, yet a low GL of 7.21.
The high GI is based on 5 cups of watermelon, not an
actual serving size of 1 cup. The low GL means one
serving of watermelon doesn't contain much
carbohydrate, because it is actually mostly water. The
low GL indicates that a serving of watermelon won't
have much impact on your blood sugar.
Carrots are another example of a low GL food that
many people think will raise their blood sugar a lot --
but it's not true. That's because carrots have a high GI
of 71. However, the GL for carrots is only 6. Therefore,
unless you're going to eat a pound and a half of
carrots in one sitting, an average serving of carrots
will have very little impact on blood glucose levels.
That said, juicing carrots -- which means consuming
more carrots at once -- will have a greater impact on
blood glucose.
Sick days Management
Type 1 Diabetes
Insulin does to be taken as usual without alteration.
Eating should be in accordance to how the patient feels
and what he/she can tolerate
To have small low fat snacks at regular intervals
To have sips of fluid
Frequent blood sugar monitiring
Test urine for ketonuria
Contact the doctor
Type 2 Diabetes

The patient should take medicines/insulin at the

prescribed dose without alteration
If the patient cannot have a meal, have frequent low fat
snacks.
To drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration
Frequent blood sugar monitoring
THANK YOU