Glycemic Index has been the constant topic when we analyze our carbohydrate consumption. We have been told that consuming carbohydrates with low glycemic index, such as whole grains, would help us control weight and prevent diseases. But what’s the truth behind those numbers assigned to our beloved bread, noodles, or desserts?

There are two hormones, insulin and glucagon, to be concerned with when we discuss glycemic index. Insulin facilitates the entry of glucose to our muscles cells and be used as energy during exercise. However, if too much glucose is released from our livers, insulin would carry the glucose into our fatty cells and be stored as fat. When the secretion of insulin increases, glucagon (secreted by pancreas like insulin), which breaks down fat, decreases. A high glycemic index meal increases the secretion of insulin and increases the fat stored in fatty cells.

After the spike of insulin due to high glycemic index meal, the secretion of the insulin decreases dramatically to below pre-meal level. When insulin is below the pre-meal level, other hormones, such as growth hormone, cortisol, and adrenaline, are released and cause hunger drive; therefore, after consuming a high glycemic meal, we get hungry and snack more often. We eventually gain weight.

Last, besides picking the “good carbs” with low glycemic index, we need to pay attention to glycemic load, which measures our overall carbohydrate consumption (formula: glycemic index * grams of cargohydrates/100). Portion control is as critical as the type of carbohydrates that we consume; too much of “good carbs” will have high glycemic effect due to the large portion.

Final words: pick “good carbs” and eat with moderation.