The American Dietetic Association's latest Nutrition Practice Guidelines for Diabetes take a cautious approach to the use of a low glycemic index or low glycemic load for diabetes management. The evidence about the effectiveness of glycemic index methods of meal planning are conflicting, showing mixed effects on long-term blood sugar control. Another limitation of the studies is the lack of a standard definition of high or low glycemic index, resulting in great variability in study design.
But despite the conflicting studies, there is still increasing evidence that low glycemic load diets may assist with prevention and management of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. One recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that a low glycemic index and low glycemic load diet could lower the risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a clustering of metabolic risk factors associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A higher glycemic index intake was associated with a greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome, elevated triglycerides, and low "good cholesterol," or HDL, levels.
For more information on glycemic load and glycemic index, and food lists, check out the following link:
Sources:
Finley CE, Barlow CE, Halton TL, Haskell WL. Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Prevalence of the Metabolic Syndrome in the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 2010;110(12):1820-1829.
Franz MJ, Powers MA, Leontos C, Holzmeister LA, Kulkarni K, Monk A, Wedel N, Gradwell E. The Evidence for Medical Nutrition Therapy for Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Adults. Journal of the American Dietetic Assocation. 2010;110(12):1852-1889.
