What Does Your Loaf of Bread Say About You?
By Whitney Barns
There has been quite a bit in the news these past few years about “whole-grain” this and “refined-grain” that. So what does it all mean and what does it really have to do with you? Recently, a large scale study was done looking at a wide range of previously conducted studies in an attempt to actually answer that question for you. So what does carbohydrate quantity and quality have to do with you, and what does it have to do with your weight?
Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of the effect a carbohydrate source has on blood sugar levels, in other words, how quickly the carbohydrate is broken down and absorbed into the blood. Low glycemic index foods include most fruits, vegetables, whole grains, basmati rice and pasta. High glycemic index foods include refined grains such as white bread, white rice, corn flakes and baked potatoes. Glycemic load (GL) is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their glycemic index and portion size. Many studies have been done to look at the correlation between eating foods with high or low glycemic indices and their effects on individual’s Body Mass Index (BMI).
A variety of studies have been done, ranging from small scale to large, based on interventions or based on habits of specific populations, or a handful of other groupings to determine carbohydrate’s effect on body weight. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of which kind of carbohydrate is “best” because each person’s body can react differently than another’s. Factors such as diabetes, overweight or obesity and physical activity level should also be considered. Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugars are higher than normal and can be hard to regulate. High glycemic index foods, such as white bread, can cause a rapid influx of glucose into the blood. This can be moderated by consumption of less refined grains that take longer to break down and enter the blood. Along with blood sugar control, whole grains tend to keep people feeling full longer. This helps anyone, whether they are normal weight, overweight, or obese to control their intake. Consuming a diet high in whole grains, and cueing in on true feelings of hunger can help an overweight individual to reduce the amount of snacking and excess calories eaten. Now that we’ve talked about the almighty whole grains, let’s not forget about the refined grains. These grains are actually good for athletes who need a more readily available store of energy. Energy for exercise comes from carbohydrates, so a pre-workout snack or meal with a sufficient amount of high GI foods is actually good for this situation where glucose is needed fast.
This meta-analysis study, or “study of other studies”, from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that whole-grain intake is generally inversely associated with BMI; refined grain intake is not. So, the higher the intake of carbohydrates from whole grains in the diet, the lower the body mass index of an individual. It also found that because overall dietary quality tends to be higher for high-carbohydrate diets, a low-fat dietary strategy with emphasis on fiber-rich carbohydrates, particularly cereal fiber, may be beneficial for health and weight control. It cannot be said that high GI/GL diets are necessarily bad for you, since many studies have conflicting findings, but it can definitely be concluded that low GI carbohydrates are good for you. Intake of high fiber, whole grain carbohydrate diets do correlate with better weight control, lower risk for weight related diseases and increased vitamin and mineral intake.
Now that you have the information you need, get out there and get into carbs! A diet high in whole fiber should be packed with fruits, veggies and whole grain breads to give you the energy to get you through the day feeling full and snacking less on unhealthy foods. Don’t let anyone tell you a high carbohydrate diet is bad for you again--simply explain the benefits that all carbs have to offer and show them just how healthy they, too, can be!
To view original article’s abstract, click here.
There has been quite a bit in the news these past few years about “whole-grain” this and “refined-grain” that. So what does it all mean and what does it really have to do with you? Recently, a large scale study was done looking at a wide range of previously conducted studies in an attempt to actually answer that question for you. So what does carbohydrate quantity and quality have to do with you, and what does it have to do with your weight?
Glycemic index (GI) is a measure of the effect a carbohydrate source has on blood sugar levels, in other words, how quickly the carbohydrate is broken down and absorbed into the blood. Low glycemic index foods include most fruits, vegetables, whole grains, basmati rice and pasta. High glycemic index foods include refined grains such as white bread, white rice, corn flakes and baked potatoes. Glycemic load (GL) is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their glycemic index and portion size. Many studies have been done to look at the correlation between eating foods with high or low glycemic indices and their effects on individual’s Body Mass Index (BMI).
A variety of studies have been done, ranging from small scale to large, based on interventions or based on habits of specific populations, or a handful of other groupings to determine carbohydrate’s effect on body weight. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the idea of which kind of carbohydrate is “best” because each person’s body can react differently than another’s. Factors such as diabetes, overweight or obesity and physical activity level should also be considered. Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugars are higher than normal and can be hard to regulate. High glycemic index foods, such as white bread, can cause a rapid influx of glucose into the blood. This can be moderated by consumption of less refined grains that take longer to break down and enter the blood. Along with blood sugar control, whole grains tend to keep people feeling full longer. This helps anyone, whether they are normal weight, overweight, or obese to control their intake. Consuming a diet high in whole grains, and cueing in on true feelings of hunger can help an overweight individual to reduce the amount of snacking and excess calories eaten. Now that we’ve talked about the almighty whole grains, let’s not forget about the refined grains. These grains are actually good for athletes who need a more readily available store of energy. Energy for exercise comes from carbohydrates, so a pre-workout snack or meal with a sufficient amount of high GI foods is actually good for this situation where glucose is needed fast.
This meta-analysis study, or “study of other studies”, from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that whole-grain intake is generally inversely associated with BMI; refined grain intake is not. So, the higher the intake of carbohydrates from whole grains in the diet, the lower the body mass index of an individual. It also found that because overall dietary quality tends to be higher for high-carbohydrate diets, a low-fat dietary strategy with emphasis on fiber-rich carbohydrates, particularly cereal fiber, may be beneficial for health and weight control. It cannot be said that high GI/GL diets are necessarily bad for you, since many studies have conflicting findings, but it can definitely be concluded that low GI carbohydrates are good for you. Intake of high fiber, whole grain carbohydrate diets do correlate with better weight control, lower risk for weight related diseases and increased vitamin and mineral intake.
Now that you have the information you need, get out there and get into carbs! A diet high in whole fiber should be packed with fruits, veggies and whole grain breads to give you the energy to get you through the day feeling full and snacking less on unhealthy foods. Don’t let anyone tell you a high carbohydrate diet is bad for you again--simply explain the benefits that all carbs have to offer and show them just how healthy they, too, can be!
To view original article’s abstract, click here.
posted by Margie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT at
8:06 AM
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